Don’t mention the polls

This is an open letter to all Federal Labor parliamentarians.

Of all people, you must know that polls of voting intention this far from the scheduled election date of September 14 are not predictive of the election outcome. Even the pollsters themselves tell us that. They agree that trends over time are the only useful pointers.

Yet every time a poll comes out, you are out there, whether it's good or bad, responding to the inevitable questions of journalists, whom you know very well are more interested in leadership speculation, with all the conflict and entertainment that engenders, than the policy issues that matter to the people. Why do you do it? You know that what you say, whether positive, negative, or neutral, will be echoed on countless TV, radio, and current affairs programs, and in the print and online media, thereby escalating the drama that the media deliberately sets out to create, while blocking out the critically important messages you need to transmit. Why do you do it?

Why can’t you take Basil Fawlty’s line?

DON’T MENTION THE POLLS

The media is out there deliberately baiting you, yet so many of you take the bait – hook, line and sinker – time and again.


When you do, you add to the uncertainty that the media is deliberately creating, thereby undermining your leader, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, your own Party, and your chances of electoral success. Surely, you must know that!

What is even more destructive, SOME OF YOU seem to be intentionally white-anting PM Gillard’s authority, and the outstanding work she is doing under difficult circumstances, with your so-called ‘back-grounding’ of journalists, who, like the insatiable piranhas they are, devour every morsel you offer, piranhas who would devour the entire Labor Party if they could.

Labor supporters despair when they hear of this subversive behavior. Unless journalists are entirely making this up, there are SOME OF YOU, who knows how many, sabotaging your leader and the Party. That is reprehensible and unforgivable. In war, people like you are taken out and shot.


We know that some of you are Rudd supporters, and thereby Gillard antagonists, but we don’t get to know the names of those of you who are actively back-grounding journalists. If Labor supporters did know your names, you would be deluged with angry emails insisting that you desist. Paul Howes had some words to describe your despicable behaviour – ‘gutless’ was one of them.

While no one would deny you the right to support whom you prefer, that is a world away from sabotaging the leader, elected just twelve months ago by a two to one majority, the one who is in the process of preparing for an election where Labor is seeking another term, where you as a Labor parliamentarian would enjoy another period in power.

We know that some of you are fiercely loyal to Julia Gillard, and that you too despair of the corrosive behavior of your disloyal colleagues. We imagine you have spoken to those whom you know are disloyal, but it seems to no avail. They continue with what seems to be a deluded belief that returning Kevin Rudd to Prime Ministership would somehow reverse the current polls and lead the Party to a resounding victory, even after he has repeatedly denied that that is his intent. Presumably, that belief is predicated on the polls that ask people what Party they would vote for under Gillard and Rudd leadership, which always come out in favour of Rudd. Surely, these malcontents can’t be stupid enough to base their strategy on such unreliable polls, or on private polling and focus groups, the opinions of which could change in a flash, especially with News Limited on the case, leaving these hopefuls high and dry.

Please try to talk some sense into the heads of these speculative malcontents, insist they get behind their leader, and fight the awful prospect of an Abbott government, tooth and nail. There is the enemy.

Let them know that loyal Labor supporters are furious with their subversive, treacherous behavior, and demand they desist immediately.

There is a Newspoll out this coming week. If it is even mildly bad for Labor, you know the vicious cycle of leadership speculation will start all over again. You must stop the sabotage and the disruption it evokes, which boosts Tony Abbott in his fevered quest for power, while eroding support for your leader, Julia Gillard.

And even if the poll is more favourable to Labor than the last, don’t be sucked into comment – you know it will be perverted to feed the frenzied piranhas thrashing about in their media puddle.

DON’T MENTION THE POLLS.

If a piranha rings to bite you for leadership information, hang up. If a piranha bites you at a doorstop, do an Abbott: just walk away.


FOR USERS OF THE POLITICAL SWORD: If you decide to ‘Disseminate this post’ by clicking these words in the shaded panel at the head or foot of this piece, it will generate an email to the following, in alphabetical order: Dick Adams, Anthony Albanese, Chris Bowen, David Bradbury, Tony Burke, Doug Cameron, Kim Carr, Bob Carr, Jason Clare, Greg Combet, Stephen Conroy, Mark Dreyfus, Craig Emerson, Chris Evans, Don Farrell, John Faulkner, David Feeney, Martin Ferguson, Joel Fitzgibbon, Peter Garrett, Julia Gillard, Harry Jenkins, Mike Kelly, Andrew Leigh, Joseph Ludwig, Kate Lundy, Jenny Macklin, Richard Marles, Robert McClelland, Shayne Neumann, Brendan O'Connor, Tanya Plibersek, Bernie Ripoll, Amanda Rishworth, Nicola Roxon, Kevin Rudd, Bill Shorten, Stephen Smith, Wayne Swan, Kelvin Thomson, Penny Wong, and Tony Zappia.

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Hilde Rombout

23/02/2013Hi Ad Astra, I have been away from commenting, my blood pressure just got too high (true!!!) but i could not help responding to your latest writing. I so agree with you and i have already dissiminated this post. Part of me wants to trust that people will come to their senses when September comes around and prevent the LOTO any foot in the door of the Lodge.

bilko

23/02/2013AA Good post I like the piranha touch, if there is no political news then they just make it up. The polls now are the only thing the media have, it is their reason for existence. Agreed the labor ‘back-grounding’ types need a quick kick in the privates. The old adage "Good news does not sell newspapers, bad news does". But now they just twist every piece of news to their advantage. Have you noticed abbort is missing in action, still parliament is back next week and a newspoll coming already preped from this weeks crap Remember I commented way way back that Kevin and later Julia need to get some savvy PR types on board. We are still loosing the media battle but still have time to win the war.

Catching up

23/02/2013I believe we will win the war. We need to focus on what is important. That does not involve Abbott. Another good post.

Tom of Melbourne

23/02/2013I’ll be using TPS email to urge ALP parliamentarians to dump Gillard and return to Rudd Rudd isn’t controlled by union hacks, he connects with the electorate and has the benefit of not being tainted by all the dishonesty that has characterised the ALP under Gillard. If the ALP has any sense of duty to remain a political force it will give Gillard exactly the same level of consideration that she gave Rudd.

Tom of Melbourne

23/02/2013[b]Why Leadership Matters – Return to Rudd[/b] The ALP Government is fractured, headed for defeat. This situation is a function of the current inept leadership of Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan. If leaders of any organisation can’t build trust, confidence and a sense of alignment, they fail. Leadership isn’t just about doing things, developing policy or making announcements – they’re activities. Leadership has more to do with creating trust, or offering a better, stable future. It’s “the vision thing” – the messages of leaders have to resonate. Gillard can’t do it, and these days, no one listens anyway. The choice isn’t between Gillard and Abbott, that’s not a choice worth making. Vote 1 – Informal, is the most ethical selection at the moment. With the ALP headed for electoral disaster, the choice is one for the ALP. They can choose Rudd. A “Return to Rudd” (R2R) campaign would kick start an electoral comeback. With the range of ministerial hacks that would self-select out, a Rudd Government would look bright, young and fresh. On the policy front, Rudd has proven to be more humane towards asylum seekers, less dogmatic about marriage equality. He would be more credible in reviewing carbon/emission policy; he is likely to be determined and capable of proving a point about the MRRT. Rudd’s policy strengths put the harsh spotlight on Gillard’s weaknesses. Rudd is capable of cutting through an allegedly belligerent press gallery, he can connect to the electorate – giving them a sense of optimism and building trust. Returning to Rudd would stop the leak of votes to the Greens and claw back the middle ground. An ALP government under Rudd is likely to be more progressive than the current tired, moribund one. Gillard has had her opportunity and she has failed. She deserves no more sympathy than she provided to her predecessor. It’s time for Gillard to get out of the way and allow the electorate to return to the leadership they prefer – Rudd.

Ad astra

23/02/2013Hilde Rombout Welcome back. I’m glad that this piece gave you something to send onto Labor politicians, with some benefit to your blood pressure. I hope they listen. bilko Thank you for your ever-present support. If only we could know who the saboteurs are, we could target them directly. Catching up Thank you for your comment. I too believe Labor will win against the Abbott man, despite all the doomsayers here, and in the MSM.

Lesley de Voil

23/02/2013I've been reading this blog for about six months now. In the beginning I was prepared to see the metaphorical nature of its title, however, when the author's posts increasingly mention warlike actions ( "taken outside and..." is just the latest but not the only one) I have to object. I am surprised that a professional in the healing industry would advocate for change in this manner. It is certainly not part of the democratic process. Shame on you, sir. Lesley de Voil

Ad astra

23/02/2013Lesley de Voil First, welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family. Do come again. When you re-read what I have written, you will see that I am not suggesting that the Labor saboteurs be shot, but that where such acts of sabotage occur in a theatre of war, that might well be their fate. We are not of violent nature here, just very angry at their behaviour - thus the metaphorical analogy.

jane

23/02/2013Disseminated, Ad astra. I too believe that the government will be re-elected. Oddly, I also think that a lot of disaffected Labor voters may welcome the split from the Greens and return to the fold. However, this is not the time for faltering. I don't believe that trying to get the message out using the msm will work. No matter what, they will spin any government message as a negative, and that would apply to Rudd with a vengeance for certain urgers. The government has to engage directly with voters and tell them what is in store for them if the government is re-elected and what they've got to lose under a Liealot government, particularly in states where they're already under the yoke of Liars deceit, incompetence and stupidity. Remind them that the Liars aim is a return to SerfChoices, that the Liars intend to increase taxes on the lowest paid to line the pockets of the wealthy. Tell them what Liealot really means when he dribbles his latest three worder-he HOPES that the wealthy will REWARD him for giving them the OPPORTUNITY to fleece the lowest paid and most disadvantaged members of society. So ToM, once again you ignore the facts. Gillard has the support of the caucus, Rudd does not. [quote]If leaders of any organisation can’t build trust, confidence and a sense of alignment, they fail.[/quote] Hoist by your own words. Who has the support of Caucus, ToM? And by what margin, ToM? Who does the Caucus trust? Who does the majority of her colleagues trust? I'll remind you-GILLARD HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE CAUCUS AND HER COLLEAGUES BY A VERY LONG CHALK. RUDD DOES NOT. Do you understand those simple facts? And do you also understand that Rudd's support is strongest with Liars supporters and they're not likely to vote Labor. Gillard has done a good job and has not faltered whereas Rudd did. Gillard also supports her Ministers, Rudd does not, or perhaps you've chosen to forget his treatment of Peter Garrett. Frankly, anyone who allows creatures like Liealot to call their Minister an industrial murderer and get away with it is not worthy of support. Rudd left Garrett swinging in the breeze. That is unforgivable and ignoble. You might find that sort of behaviour acceptable, I do not. And once again, Gillard has the support of ¾ of the Caucus, Rudd could only muster ¼. Speaking of dishonesty-who was backgrounding the msm? Who was whiteanting the party he claimed to be loyal to? Not the sort of person I want running the country. Please don't bother with your carbon tax bullshit. There is no carbon tax. Gillard said she wanted a price on carbon emissions and that's what we have; all the sophistry in the world cannot get around that FACT.

bob macalba

23/02/2013Ad nice post, passed it on through TPS mail...cheers also i personally believe lesley da boil writes shit

Ad astra

23/02/2013jane Thank you for disseminating this piece. The more that do so, the greater the impact. bob macalba Thank you for the compliment, and for disseminating the piece. I feel though that you are being hard on Lesley de Voil. She is simply expressing concern about the use of an analogy which she fears some may take literally rather than metaphorically. You may care to rephrase your comment.

Pappinbarra Fox

23/02/2013I notice you do not have Papua New Guinea in your list of countries. That is my other home and would like to comment from there when I am back in Alotau from time to time. No FTTN there I can say. Yes Ad the whiteanters have to just STFU.

bob macalba

23/02/2013Ad i believe ldv is the same as tom or sic, sole purpose to white ant. critical comment on current topics...yeah patronizing poo[the last paragraph]..nah termites

bob macalba

23/02/2013I will stand corrected if proven otherwise though. if i read into it incorrectly Ad i will retract with an apology, we'll wait and see

Ad astra

23/02/2013bob macalba There is no evidence from the accompanying email and IP addresses that Lesley de Voil is ToM or Sir Ian or any others who make derogatory comments here.

Ad astra

23/02/2013PF You are right, but that should not prevent you from posting comments from PNG, so long as you have an Internet connection. I've just discovered the meaning of STFU on InternetSlang.com. I must be naive!

bob macalba

23/02/2013Ad it was the tone, if your good with it then its all good with me, its a loyalty thing..dont bag the coach cheers

TalkTurkey

23/02/2013Disloyalty to the Party is lowest of the low. How does Kevin Rudd sleep o' nights? I just couldn't believe he was whiteanting Labor until his eventual challenge a year ago. I rate that my [i]only[/i] failure in prediction this last couple of years - and it was based on the notion that he would simply not be so despicable as to diminish the Party in order to gain some perverse personal revenge on *J*U*L*I*A*, and on the fact that he never had the guts until then to say openly he was challenging, and the MSM never had the integrity to say openly that he was leaking damaging material to them. "Must protect our sources" they say, but this was not a matter of serious national importance such as genuine whistleblowers stick their necks out for, it was for nasty trivial snide revenge at the Party's expense. [i][b]In wartime he'd be taken out and shot![/b][/i] But I was right that he'd get his nose bloodied if he did challenge though! Yet despite his humiliating rebuttal at that challenge, and although he often makes statements denying his further Prime Ministerial ambition, his denials sound mischievous and fork-tongued to this day. The classic expression of this came a few days ago when he said wtte "Gimme a break, It's time this debate was put into cryogenic storage." ... Not 'Dead, buried and cremated' like Abbortt's (unbelievable) promises, but 'cryogenic' - just waiting to be brought back. In your dreams Rudd. Into Eternity. I wouldn't be you, [i]literally for the world,[/i] if Labor were to be defeated in September. You are just dead lucky that won't happen, despite your worst efforts. Be of stout heart Comrades. Our flurry of punches is just about to begin.

Lesley de Voil

23/02/2013Mr McAlba, I do not hide behind a pseudonym. You will find that I do have a public history. Lesley de Voil

TalkTurkey

23/02/2013 Yeah bob I read her post as did you. IMO it was deliberate misrepresentation of Ad's meaning.

Ad astra

23/02/2013bob macalba, TT I accept that you saw Lesley de Voil's comment differently from how I did. Let's leave it at that and focus on the problem of some Labor backbenchers ratting on our PM. TT, I see you are distrusting of Kevin Rudd's actions, words and motives. You may be right. I hope you are not. People are complex; motivations problematic to untangle. Time will tell us who is right.

Lesley de Voil

23/02/2013Mr Mc Alkba Politics is war by any other means. To drag into political discussion the exact terminology of war can have drastic impact upon a mind unsettled by fear, uncertainty and doubt. That was and is my concern. FYI, I am (I think, surprisingly enough, a bit like ToM!) a swinging voter. I spent the whole of my childhood and early adulthood under the one political regime, turned to Labour when Bob Hawke came along to save the country, but the Labor Party of today is not what it was, so I swing. I do not consider this unprincipled, in fact I may even prefer to vote Labor rather than increase the chances of a Liberal Coalition, so PTIYPASI!

bob macalba

23/02/2013mr macalba would be my dad, and he doesnt want to play all good Ad cheers TT, i read it a couple of times before commenting, glad im not just being a 'crankypants'. but life goes on, next subject, celibacy in the catholic church http://hnn.us/articles/696.html cheers

Ad astra

23/02/2013Folks We are going out for a while to enjoy Melbourne's inaugural 'White Night'.

bob macalba

23/02/2013then there is this http://promom.hubpages.com/hub/Ten-Bad-Popes all good fun though...right?

Bacchus

23/02/2013Hmmm - you've got to wonder why ALL the Liberal shills are calling for Mr Rudd to be reinstated... Are they really that terrified of PM Julia Gillard?

Jason

23/02/2013Lesley de Voil, ToM of Melbourne votes in formal, he was once a member of the ALP and is one of the few living card carrying members of the Australian Democrats. Yes the Labor party of today is not the same as when Hawke was PM, but what is? Abbott thinks some of us a yearning for some supposed golden era that Howard gave us, which was nothing but fear, uncertainty and doubt , No vision for a future just to return to a supposed comfortable past where a tax cut or two could buy a vote and the rest of the world could pass us by.

Lesley de Voil

23/02/2013Yes, Jason, voting informal is voting with your feet - and just as useful. Bacchus, it reminds me of small boys stirring up an ants nest. Perhaps there needs to be a counterattack- say calling for Malcolm Turnbull to replace Tony Abbott (particularly if the makeover of the makeover isn't successful.)

Jason

23/02/2013Lesley de Voil So your here as another troll not a very good one but who gives a F@ck a troll non the less.

Lesley de Voil

23/02/2013No, I'm here to try and work out whether it is going to be worth my while to support the Labor Party, but judging by the friends that it seems to have here, I wonder why I bother.

Ad astra

23/02/2013Folks Can we please show civility to our latest visitor, Lesley de Voil. We need to recognise kindred souls when they appear. Melbourne's 'White Night' was spectacular. A balmy evening, hundreds of thousands of people cramming the city centre, and a visual extravaganza on Flinders Street where the Station and several buildings were brilliantly illuminated with moving graphics. Well worth seeing and photographing. It will be repeated next year and in 2105

Jason

23/02/2013Lesley de Voil, That's right don't judge Labor on it's policy or anything like that! make up your mind on what we here have to say. I suppose you consulted some tarrot card reader or some such before you got out of bed or bought a car or sent your kids to school?

Tom of Melbourne

23/02/2013Jane, the caucus falls into line with their factional masters, they rarely exercise independent judgment, and they certainly didn’t when Rudd was knifed. That was orchestrated by the hacks outside the caucus. Likely defeat for a large group of MPs who are otherwise unemployable might focus their minds. You’re welcome to follow Gillard over the cliff if you wish, it really doesn’t bother me. But I’d be willing to support a reformed ALP, and Rudd can deliver this. Gillard won’t. Bacchus, typically you speculate about motives, and avoid the discussion. Good for you!

bob macalba

23/02/2013see, shit detectors going off everywhere, if it smells like poo it usually is

Jason

23/02/2013ToM, "But I’d be willing to support a reformed ALP, and Rudd can deliver this. Gillard won’t." As you know the ALP at a federal level is made up of the state and territory branches who send reps! The ALP don't need Rudd but Rudd needs the money the unions pour in so unless he can find another source of revenue such as his own there wont be much change.

Truth Seeker

23/02/2013Ad, great post, and I agree entirely. I do think that the old "Unnamed source" chestnut is a very convenient "out" for those alleged journalists, who are only interested in pushing their own barrow or that of their bosses, as that source is protected by the law, whether it exists or not. I, like most are sick to death of the incessant rambling of the MSM about another leadership challenge, so I have written and posted my latest poem "LNP Policies, The Story So Far", as a bit of light relief, and to return the debate to the things that matter. :-) http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/ Cheers :-) :-)

Ad astra

23/02/2013Truth Seeker Thank you for your comment. What a relief to read your measured response. I agree with your assessment. I enjoyed your verse - you are a prolific writer. Folks There's been too much unnecessary banter this evening. Let's call it a day and start again tomorrow. Please!!!

jane

24/02/2013Lesley de Voil, I think Jason is correct when he says that instead of placing so much importance on what we say here, you should instead consider the respective policies of all the parties and then make up your mind. But good luck finding even a hint of a policy from the Liars Party. All they seem to have in their repertoire is a bunch of meaningless 3 word slogans. However, we do know that they intend to remove all the financial assistance Labor is currently providing for low income earners wrt superannuation tax breaks, the $18,200 tax free threshold, dental care, school bonus payments and hand them to the wealthy. They intend to get rid of Gonski, NDIS and the NBN and their stance on asylum seekers is even more draconian than Labor's and be prepared for the reimposition of SerfChoices. We know this because Liealot has spruiked it often and loudly. IMHO, what must be considered when choosing who to vote for is which party has the policies which will benefit everyone, not just an elite wealthy clique. Which party has the practical policies to protect our environment, not just now but for future generations. Which party has the policies to protect the disabled, which party will ensure a decent education for everyone by adequately funding public education, which party will ensure that everyone has access to decent health and dental care. You strike me as a person who takes voting very seriously and who wants to make their vote count for the better. I hope that you will decide to support Labor after weighing up the policies of each party. They aren't perfect, but afaic, they beat the others hands down. Crap, ToM. If that was indeed the case, Ministers would not have threatened to resign wholesale if Rudd was reinstalled. He would not and will not reform, reunite or reinvigorate the Labor Party. He lost their trust by whiteanting, backgrounding and betrayal. So beat your head against a brick wall as long and hard as you like, but please don't expect the rest of us to follow suit.

Truth Seeker

24/02/2013Ad, thanks for your comment and kind words :-) Just a quick update, I have renamed my poem "Abbotts Policies, The Story So Far", as I wanted to emphasise the point that HE is responsible, the LNP are just taking their lead from him. http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/abbotts-policies-the-story-so-far/ Cheers :-) :-)

Frank

24/02/2013Look closely at the latest Herald-Nielsen Poll and numerous ones before it. Labor voters prefer Julia Gillard. That's all that counts. Most Coalition voters would never vote for Rudd in a month of Sundays.

bob macalba

24/02/2013Sun is shining, the weather is sweet, make me want to move my dancing feet,....morning all, TS.. your musings and a fine cup of tea.a nice way to kick of my day.. cheers

bob macalba

24/02/2013Insiders ..just bores me to tears now, gossip, polls, gerard henderson, the whole show now deals with gossip opinion and speculation, they feed of each other offering each other dorothy dixers, utter poo, now its the polls and kev rudd, im going back to popasia on SBS much better than old media dinosaurs waffling on, the press gallery owe the people of Oz, one day we will collect

2353

24/02/2013The polls are an indicator only and who knows what will happen between now and the actual event. The "results" are an easy story for the media - as each of the large print media one one of the "respected" polling companies. The reporting is similar to flood risk in SEQ. According to a lot of those who have an interest in the marketing of property the Q100 (or 1 in a 100) flood risk means that your property will be flooded once every 100 years. The Q100 level is actually a statistical measure that states you have a 1 in a 100 chance of being flooded EVERY year. While I have been polled int he past on who would I vote for - I've also been polled on what marketing strategy would get me to buy a particular product. While I gave an opinion - the reality is that at times I wouldn't be seen dead anywhere near the product and in reality the opinion expressed would have as much validity as some one asking me what colour of Rolls Royce would I buy or who would be the best leader of the LNP (Abbott or Turnbull). I really don't care so my opinion doesn't count. Its the same with ALP leadership - when a rusted on LNP or Greens voter is asked who they would prefer to lead the ALP - does it really matter as the ALP's leader is very unkikely to make them vote for the ALP in any event. And if anyone does want to buy me a real Rolls Royce, a burgundy red metallic would be nice thank you.

Ken

24/02/20132353 Agree. I have made the point in previous threads that casting a ballot is somewhat different to giving an opinion and, for that reason, incumbent governments can often pick up 2-3% in the last week or so leading to the election. And like Rudd being preferred by LNP voters, I think I'm recalling correctly, that a lot of the support for Turnbull comes from ALP voters. So a large part of the alleged support for Rudd and Turnbull does not translate into actual votes. I don't think we can ignore the polls entirely. It is clear that ALP internal polling is also showing bad figures particularly in NSW (thanks to the ICAC inquiry and a few other NSW issues). That is why they are looking at shoring up Queensland. But changing the level of support doesn't depend on changing leaders. Everyone knows that changing leaders will lead to a small bounce followed by further decline. As they say, in politics "disunity is death" and that would be the result of changing leaders. The MSM is doing its best to play that up at the moment and Rudd is assisting them. If he was suporting the PM he would focus his attention on his home state, QLD, and be trying to boost the ALP vote there. As somone else suggested, playing up the potential of a Turnbull challenge would be an interesting strategy to put the pressure of "disunity" back on the LNP. But many other suggestions emphasising policy and what Abbott actually stands for, and what an Australia under Abbott would actually look like, need to be pushed hard. Another 2-3% being swayed by that and it is definitely game on!!

lyn

24/02/2013Good Morning Ad and Everybody, Thankyou very much for writing a new article for us Ad Astra, fact intense, well researched and of course brilliantly written. “Don’t Mention the Poll”, as you say the media are deliberately baiting. The latest “Galaxy” poll on Kevin Rudd was the greatest fake I have ever seen, just another attempt at destabilising Govt. Bob Ellis agrees with us: [i]The Usual Murdich Dirty Tricks, [/i]A Galaxy Poll of 800 Queenslanders in Murdoch’s Courier Mail. Nothing in this poll shows anything but mischief-making, craven Murdochist crookedness. In my view. It should be investigated by the Senate, urgently. http://coffsoutlook.com/the-usual-murdich-dirty-tricks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_ Blogotariat has published your article again http://www.blogotariat.com/node/883952 once again condensed without spaces. Ad, I am so pleased you enjoyed Melbourne’s White Knight as you said spectacular. The Insiders was another poor insipid, performance. They don’t discuss Abbott’s cuts or lack of policies, hardly worth taking the time to watch. I have noticed twitter commenters don’t bother much with them either. Bob macalba your post is a great summary in a few words. Talk Turkey, thankyou for posting “The Engish Country Garden” yes you know that is my favourite song. I feel like you are singing to me. Michael think you have those Abbott cuts covered. Here is a list of Abbott deceptions Tony Abbott's Lies and Deception http://www.phonytonyabbott.com/lies-and-deceptions/lies-deceptions :):):)

Ad astra

24/02/2013jane Thank you for your response to Lesley de Voil. As is usual with your comments, it was sensible and balanced. Frank Your observation is relevant. Why can’t our journalists see that? Because they prefer not to. bob macalba As I watched [i]Insiders[/i], I thought: “This is but the [b]opinion[/b] of the panelists. It may be valid, but it is only opinion.” This morning some of the opinion was buttressed by facts, for example in the matter of R&D discussion, but most of the time we were not provided with the supporting facts. We are expected to just accept opinions as authoritative statements. Increasingly, I am questioning the value of opinion, especially when emanating from a biased observer. Peter Reith springs to mind. This morning, I felt that there was less vitriol than would have been the case had someone like Piers Akerman or Niki Savva been on the panel. Gerard Henderson, whose allegiances we all know, I thought was reasonably balanced this morning; I find Dennis Atkins generally reasonable and Jacqueline Maley too. 2353, Ken Your comments about polling are apt. Surprisingly, Jacqueline Maley queried the validity of the Galaxy poll that has Kevin making a comeback. As this piece asserts, single polls are unreliable predictors, and should not evoke comment, especially from politicians. Yet we saw on [i]Insiders[/i] clips of several minister commenting on the [i]Nielsen Poll[/i]. DON’T MENTION THE POLLS.

Ad astra

24/02/2013Hi Lyn Thank you for your kind comments. I agree, as did Jacqueline Maley, that the [i]Galaxy[/i] poll was unreliable and therefore worthless as a predictor, but of course it gave [i]The Courier Mail[/i] a front page splash and a story, and of course advanced the Murdoch quest to replace the Gillard Government with an Abbott one. The collection of Abbott’s lies and deception grows by the day! There are some good photos of ‘White Night’ in the papers. It was great success. We have a family birthday today, so I will be out most of the day.

42 long

24/02/2013The constant bringing up of of the Rudd challenge is just to sell newspapers and give the impression of chaos and confusion in the Labor party. you will notice that they (hte LieNP are backing away from theidea of rudd being the new candidate and starting to rubbish Rudd. This must be that they are aware that if rudd makes a comeback they might be worse off. there is a lot of doubt whether Rudd would gain votes. He apparently lost votes in his own electorate last time around. He has a lot of baggage that can be dragged up about him.( And he IS a weird bloke) Turnbull on the other hand, would probably remove any doubt about the LieNP getting in . He would produce a positive swing to the LNP, to cement their position, but as Gerard said, they don't agree with Turnbulls policies as the have moved so far to the TEA PARTY right, and the scary part is that is where they want to be, but if the message ever gets out to the masses could lose them votes, because itis unchartered territory, and Australia is NOT America and it didn't work there, like Cory Bernardi/Minchen etc thought it would

Truth Seeker

24/02/2013Bob, I am happy and honoured to be a part of your mornings, thanks for your continued support, and keep up the good work yourself :-) Cheers :-) :-) :-)

TalkTurkey

24/02/2013 Gee this blows me out, it's funny but it goes to show how easily one can be misinterpreted! Here is a string from Twitter in which I was involved this morning. First, John Pratt‏@Jackthelad1947 wrote: Fail the education revolution, fail a generation. #auspol Don't risk #Abbott on education. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion/-2eyee.html … to which Gareth Lewis ‏@Gareth_PanChem agreed: @Jackthelad1947 If u underfund education you condemn not only the current generation but future generations as well: it’s simple arithmetic! So I wrote - @Gareth_PanChem @Jackthelad1947 But only for the lower classes on whom education funding is a wicked waste. And Gareth said (!?!) - @TalkyTurkey @Jackthelad1947 Ahhh, see this is education in practice: logical, inspirational, open-minded and unbiased. A few further tweets (which seem to have gone missing?)made it clear that he'd taken me seriously! So I said Did you really take me seriously? I find it hard to believe! ... S.A.T.I.R.E mon ami ! So he said Satire it is then! So I said Glad we got that straight! Then he said @TalkyTurkey I’ve either not had enough coffee or too damn much. And then he said Greater care to be taken this end, I must stop falling over this soapbox. Ooops! So it's all cool. :)

TalkTurkey

24/02/2013TS Love your latest as with all your verse but I think it graces this site if you publish it in full here as well as the link to it. Verse is special, takes so much more effort but it achieves more effect, don't be shy, put it here Man, put it here!

TalkTurkey

24/02/2013Ad astra, Sorry if sometimes you find abrasive comments on others here wearing on you ... Be sure that both bob macalba and I are only being very defensive, perhaps overly so, of you and this Y/Our beloved blog. You yourself are beyond criticism on your own site. Respect.

bob macalba

24/02/2013Ad, as Talk Turkey explained to you earlier, it was a perceived lack of Respect in my eyes that triggered my bovver boy reply, thousand apologies if i annoyed,..cheers Lyn..you are always so kind, always thankyou Talk Turkey...'Respect' ..nailed it in one word..cheers

uriah

24/02/2013Hello Swordsters, As usual it is great to read all your interesting posts.Labor seems to be going through a bit of a rough patch ATM but take heart good times are ahead.I am not a psephologist but some 10yrs ago I did some extensive work in that area for a company that required that type of information.First of all I can tell you what you all suspect anyway and that is that the polls are being used as a manipulative tool to sway voters. Anyway a quick general look based on what I learned from doing that work indicates to me the following.Vic-Labors most marginal seat is Corangamite,with a nominal margin of 0.3% however on current trends the LNP and Ted are on the nose big time-conclusion-if LNP cant win Corangamite,they cant win a seat in Vic any swing would go to ALP therefore ALP picks up seats here.QLD-Most marginal ALP Moreton at 1.1%-same scenario as above but with a more savage swing to ALP-more seats picked up.NT-pls refer to recent bi-election.TAS-Bass @ 6.7% is abig ask for the LNP.WA-watch upcomingstate results closely on trends they may keep LNP for WA state but a stong ALP vote federally is highly likely-most marginal is Brand at 3.3%,an unlikely LNP take.SA-Hindmarsh at 6.1%-another big ask.ACT-Canberra at 9.2% say no more.NSW where ALP are seemingly most vulnerable?-seats such as Greenaway at 0.9%,Reid at 2.7% and Banks at 1.5aretraditional ALP stronholds which will vote ALP in the face of the most extreme right wing leader in Australian electoral history-ditto the bellweather seat of Eden-Monaro at4.2%.The rest takes care of itself on the swings and roundabouts strong local members and local issues. All this , indicates a healthy victory for the ALP which is the reason the masters of the MSM are pushing so hard.Abbott and his dreadfully inept team could not win a chook raffle by themselves even if they rigged it. Friends be confident and get the message out there. Most of all enjoy living through this most exciting time in Australian history of which you are part and can play a role in and tell your grandchildren the stories.

Michael

24/02/2013I lost interest in the (or is it just me?) increasingly irrelevant 'Insiders' after ten minutes this morning, but before I switched off, one item did catch my attention. Jacqueline Maley referred to a newspaper article about the upcoming West Australian election in which the article's writer observed that when people knocked on voters' doors, those who responded started off "bagging Julia Gillard" and finished "bagging Tony Abbott". While this seems to play into, and seemed to amuse Ms Maley on the basis of, the "pox on both your houses" phrase summing up nationwide voter disgust with all politicians, might I suggest another reading here that is not about phrases or journalists' amusement? This may well be the trajectory of the real election campaign. Voters are said to, and the polls confirm (as much as polls confirm anything) that Julia Gillard is deeply unpopular - voters can't wait to ditch her. However, when given a chance to talk about just that and how they feel more broadly about Federal politics, they start 'hot' on "bagging Julia Gillard", but finish after further thought and verbal discussion expressing those thoughts, "bagging Tony Abbott". If that trajectory of real voter sentiment is paralleled in a Federal election campaign, which has 'election year' faux begun already whether we like it or not, so we are still deep in the "bagging Julia Gillard" stage, then in those five weeks of real under the spotlight campaigning, let's not be at all surprised if Labor looks 'dead in the water' five Saturdays before September 14, but that Julia Gillard looks like someone who can walk on water come Sunday morning... and Insiders.

Truth Seeker

24/02/2013TT, thanks for your comment and continued support. I have only written a couple so far this year, but I noticed that when I post a poem, as a comment, both here and on CW, many people miss it, whereas with a link those that want to can find it easily. (Thanks again Lyn for posting mine amongst your links.) I am, as always, happy to post them here as a comment as well. LNP policy, the story so far The list of Tony Abbotts policy promises Really isn’t that long But the smell of decay from the John Howard years Is getting incredibly strong There’s at least 20,000 lucky public servants He is promising he’s going to chop And a QLD style, Peter Costello audit That sadly, he’ll expect us to to cop He’ll stop all the boats and he’ll cut all the waste He states by his grand decree But the truth is that Abbott and all of his mates Are just so full of hypocrisy The boats, he won’t stop cos the Pacific solution Is well past its own use by date And his personal expenses are already through the roof So more waste, is the LNPs fate There’s Joe Hockey and his bad economics ideas Talking down our great economy Promising surpluses, even though his creds were all shot When he came up with eleventy And he says that we all will be much better off When he takes the school bonus away And the pensioners too, will be jumping for joy When he reduces their fortnightly pay And their claim is to Wind back that “Big Toxic Tax” Even though old Whyalla’s still fine And despite his wild claims, that investment will cease There’s still plenty to be made from a mine With the investment stream running at record high levels In spite of the MRRT And the campaign of fear running out of his rear Shows the Abbott is right off his tree And his parental leave scheme is really a joke Taxing business to help pay the rich So they can take time off from their high paying jobs On full pay, to scratch their procreation itch While for the lower paid, winding back the tax threshold From 18 to 6 grand, is their plan Working longer you see is their way to prosperity Having three full time jobs if you can Now Gonski is the big education reform But for Pyne it’s a non policy Cos he claims spending cash to educate our kids Will be bad for the economy So maintaining the status quo, is their ideology Whilst enlarging class sizes as well So to get more for less, is the peoples best guess But the poodle refuses to tell Then there’s Turnbull the spokesman for doing us over With our great NBN as his brief Claiming fibre to the node is the way we should go But if you’re rich you can pay for relief From a less reliable system supplied to the node That relies on the old worn out copper But in France he’s investing in fibre to the home Proving Turnbull’s telling Aussies a whopper Now their climate change spokesman with a mouth full of feet Is that sadly mendacious Greg Hunt With a direct action plan, that came straight from the can Of the Abbott, the climate change runt He’ll give lots of cash to the biggest polluters And plant many millions of trees While their right wing supporters deny global warming Instead stating, we’re facing a freeze And Greg Hunt claims emissions continue to climb While the facts say they’ve started to drop And their grand action plan is the way we must go Though the experts all say it’s a flop An ETS is not good, and China’s not interested And he’ll guarantee those are the facts Yet within a few days they’ve exposed his lying ways Announcing their own Carbon Tax Now we’re waiting for policy costing’s But the Abbott keeps running away While their black hole is ever increasing And we’re wondering just how they will pay While he’s promised a policy banquet, this far His efforts have proved him a fake Cos his policy pie is just pie in the sky Or a big… LNP…. fairy cake Cheers :-)

Austin 3:16

24/02/2013What a great idea - as long as your intention is for the MSM to start parroting lines like "Labor living in denial over latest poll" or "Labor running scared" or similar. If there's bad news in the poll deal with it and move on.

Gravel

24/02/2013Ad Astra That is a great letter to the pollies, and I will do my best to work out how to send it tomorrow. Jane Your comment was a great one, so clear and true. :-)

Sir Ian Crisp

24/02/2013I've had it with negative polls as well. I'm sick of seeing the once-glorious ALP dragged through the mud and with it all those fine reputations sullied. I think we need an ALP Death Squad with the power to dispense summary justice. A simple knock on the door followed by a brief interrogation to establish if the dwelling's occupant/s believed the negative polls. An answer in the affirmative would see the occupant/s taken outside and shot. Say no to negative polls.

42 long

24/02/2013The propaganda has done a fair bit of work. The people who just say labor is terrible gillard is everything BAD but if you ask them to get specific they look at tyou with a blank stare so shocked are they to get a Gillard supporter. If you probe though,, there is nothing of substance they can bring up. It's more of an "everybody knows' sort of thing. like we are in some parallel universe. Speaking to an SA ( South australia) person , Chrissy Pyne is considered something of a power broker over there. He reckoned the Adelaide and environs people are different, yet they went for Dunstan who changed things. West Austalia has always played the seccede card . they want to keep their GST when they are doing OK but were subsidised by Vic and NSW until 2007. That is not long ago. Queensland is a hard place to understand, having Backed PAPER BAG jOHANNES BJIELKE-Petersen for so long If they keep getting washed away every year they will never afford it, and the poor b's have to put up with jocelyn's "army boy" Campbell Newman and his conjured up austerity actions. How will they cope with the rebuilding of infrastructure as well. There is certainly no shortage of challenges. Warming sea temps bring tremendous energy to the atmosphere. We will soon see cyclones down as far as Sydney and Perth.the latertheat of vapourisation of water provides energy levels similar to numerous atom bombs let off over a number of days.

bob macalba

24/02/20134;43 a trial run in your street

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24/02/2013Folks Great birthday party. Back home. TT, bob macalba You are both very supportive. I realize that you were being protective with your remarks. Thank you. I was just keen to keep the peace. I’m sure you understand. uriah Your analysis makes informative and interesting information. From what you say, there may be some big electoral surprises coming up. Michael Yours is an interesting analysis. We have still to see the reaction of the electorate to Abbott after he has released his policies and costings. He may get his bagging then. He starts behind the eight ball with his behavior; things will get worse when the people find his cupboard is bare. Austin 3:16 Whatever Labor says or declines to say, the MSM will create bad headlines, like the ones you suggest, should Labor politicians say nothing. I would prefer them to tell journalists to get lost if they can’t ask questions about policy or if they persist with questions about polls and leadership, and cop any headlines they create. Gravel Thank you for your comment. To forward the post to politicians, click ‘Disseminate this post’ in the shaded panel at the head or foot of the piece. This will create an email for you to send. All you have to do is to sign your name and ‘Send’. 42 long The people to whom you refer, seem to have been brainwashed by Abbott’s slogans, but when you persist with probing about PM Gillard, the emptiness of his slogans become apparent. We all must do what you are doing.

KHTAGH

24/02/2013AA Definitely one of your most passionate to date I feel. Do you have a record of how many time your posts are disseminated by TPS?. I did find it a bit rich this morning on insiders when mad monks comment on cutting the private health care rebate was brought up everyone just dismissed it as a slip up, no consideration that he could actually mean it, who said it was a slip up? Since when is it Barrie Cassidy's job to explain mad monks statement at all? or is it again just another opinion on his behalf. I also found it astonishing that Gerard Henderson wasn't his normal belligerent self. He didn't think the church was being attacked maybe.

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24/02/2013KHTAGH Thank you for your kind words. Web Monkey is working on a way of recording the use of TPS M@IL. Tony Abbott’s ‘error’ neutralized Wayne Swan’s, at least in the eyes of the [i]Insiders[/i] panel.

bob macalba

24/02/2013'Honest' john speaks..perhaps malcolm fraser should be asked what he thinks, wonder if he would agree with honest johns appraisal of abbort, who knows as i dont think msm dare ask him again, be good to hear thoughhttp://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/howard-takes-a-swipe-at-independent-mps-20130224-2eznj.html

Austin 3:16

24/02/2013Hey AA, -- I would prefer them to tell journalists to get lost if they can’t ask questions about policy -- Ahh and the journalists would then go back to their editors and say "sorry boss he got me let's leave the first page blank" Nope the story would then become how Labor is avoiding talking about the polls. Look let's face facts the polls are a problem for Labor right now. I suppose one way to deal with a problem is to put your head in the sand and hope that it just goes away. But I don't think that's generally the most effective method.

bob macalba

24/02/2013Austin 3;16 polls and trolls.. both easily manipulated, not surprisingly more and more good honest folkre starting to see past the obvious deceptions taking place in our msm, hence all the good people who come to sites like this seeking honest info and fair comment, instead of it being the opinion of one journo[groupthink] the story gets picked over and analysed by a much more competent authority...us, i have no doubts whatsoever Labor are going to win the election [with JULIA GILLARD as PM] so thats why the polls dont matter to most here.. cause they are irrelevant this far out, anyhoo this ones dedicated to tory abbort..tory supporters and the msm http://www.wat.tv/video/supertramp-dreamer-3o81l_2wg0h_.html dreamer, nothing but a dreamer

bob macalba

25/02/2013dreamer nothing but a dreamer ah the lonely crapstain, still looking for some love? bro i told you what to do, leave the dark side come over and join us, man its a great gig..sex drugs rocknroll, yee ha, or should i say 'whoa ho woo' and the best bit will be when we're in power, imagine..free drugs, live bands playing at all the disused 'holy' halls, you know churches, mosques, hillsong happyclapper halls and the like, and the dolphins, bro everybody will be able to swim with the dolphins even save a whale if you want, costings you say..too easy, gina,clive,twiggy and the all the property bullion and money donated by the catholic church which will be used to fund hemp farms,.or as we like to call them 'victory gardens'.. the 'victory gardens' will be very important to our economy as we plan to fire our power stations with hemp oil instead of coal, what do you think? brilliant isnt it? theres lots more but i dont want to say to much in case you dont believe the sales pitch, but its all true, one last thing i gotta tell ya, listen to this...'you dont have to work unless you want to' anyhoo heres a promo video to watch so you know what sort of people we are, i think you will luv it, cheers bro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJLDjYRfx3g peace man

bob macalba

25/02/2013once upon a time when i too was a member of the dark side, i would have taken you up on that bet, that way i would be able to come face to face with a no doubt most slapable face, but thats no more for me bro, its all peace and love since i become a lefty, come join us and you too can feel the love, cheers bro

bob macalba

25/02/2013its the love bro the love

bob macalba

25/02/2013join us....its the love

lyn

25/02/2013Today’s Links How you can help in the fight against Tony Abbott by @phonytonyabbott, start by insisting that the media are more accountable http://www.phonytonyabbott.com/content/how-you-can-help-in-the-fight- Opinion Poll Opinion by @Vic_Rollison, generally turning Labor bashing into a national sport. http://victoriarollison.com/2013/02/24/opinion-poll-opinion/ What is wrong with the MSM? by theloosepluckerit, is all about the polls, leadership speculation http://thelooseplucker.wordpress.com/ Parliament Big Brother House by @Vic_Rollison stop reporting politics like a popularity contest http://www.kingstribune.com/index.php/weekly-email/item/1733-parliament-big- Yet another look at the 2010 Election plan was to look at the house biases for past three or four elections http://marktheballot.blogspot.com.au/ Laura Tingle reveals why some policies don’t get covered any more @janecat60 Why won’t more journalists have the courage of our convictions? http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/why-dont-most-journ In search of the new model journalism by @BaxterSally http://sallybaxter.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/in-search-of-the-new-model Building Bridges by @MigloMT, Social media provides a forum for all Australians and I’m loving it. http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/margo- The future of investigative reporting in Australia by @ngungun, quality & intensity of investigative reporting that attracted me to Independent Australia http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/business/media-2/the-future-of-investigative One-line Media by David Griffiths, media is compelled to publish and broadcast Mr. Abbott’s oneliners. http://www.australiasmassmedia.com/ Abbott the UnAustralian by @TeamOyeniyi fact this man in NOT Prime Ministerial material? http://teamoyeniyi.com/2013/02/24/abbott-the-unaustralian/ A Thorough Indepth Explanation Of Media’s Obsession With Kevin Rudd by @turnleft2013 There is “Ruddmentum” for a “Ruddstoration http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/a-thorough-indepth-explanation-of-medias If we weren’t so busy calling a horse race, how might we cover health in the run-up to the feder Melissa Sweet, http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/02/24/if-we-werent-so-busy-calling-a-horse-race- Code Of Ethics Breaches - How To Complain If you believe a journalist has breached the Code of Ethics in any way http://www.alliance.org.au/code-of-ethics-breaches-how-to-complain The Coalition of Special Interests by @archiearchive If you care about your community Put The Liberals Last. http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/the-coalition-of-special-interests/ Economy's 'fast lane' bigger than you think by Ross Gittins Don't let anyone tell you the resources boom is no big deal. http://www.rossgittins.com/2013/02/economys-fast-lane-bigger-than-you-think.html In politics, winning can be just the start of trouble by @vexnews , In Victoria, the government’s doing it very tough http://www.vexnews.com/2013/02/tough-territory-in-politics-winning-can-be-just- “Cheap stunt”: Turnbull rejects Quigley’s olive branch by @renailemay when he shoots from the hip Turnbull more often tends to miss http://delimiter.com.au/2013/02/24/cheap-stunt-turnbull-rejects-quigleys-olive-branch/ Abbotts Policies, The Story So Far by Thruth Seeker stories on the ”Inevitable” return of Rudd http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/abbotts-policies-the-story-so-far/ Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 25 February 2013 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

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25/02/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

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25/02/2013Hi Lyn What an interesting collection of links you have given us this morning, many related to the deteriorating state of our MSM, something so many are writing about, except of course the Fourth Estate. Melissa Sweet gave us a glimpse of thorough reporting on the politics of the health care industry, in her article in [i]Crikey[/i]: [i]If we weren’t so busy calling a horse race, how might we cover health in the run-up to the federal election?[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/02/24/if-we-werent-so-busy-calling-a-horse-race-how-might-we-cover-health-in-the-run-up-to-the-federal-election/ It is an article that needs bookmarking for reference, so jam-packed is it with the views of people working in the health field. Having collected that information, what I hope Melissa will do now is to attempt to distill what might be an integrated plan for providing health care for the next several decades. The problem with her piece is that few, including journalists, will take the time to read it, let alone attempt to think about a plan. It is so much easier for columnists to write about polls and leadership.

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25/02/2013Folks There is so much in Lyn’s Links that you will find interesting. Victoria Rollison’s article [i]Opinion Poll Opinion[/i] makes good reading, as is usual with her writing. It pits some of the known facts against the fiction, and ends on an optimistic note. http://victoriarollison.com/2013/02/24/opinion-poll-opinion/ Ross Gittins writes another sound article, this time on the mining boom. It is dense with relevant facts. It debunks some of the myths surrounding the mining boom. It is worth bookmarking. http://www.rossgittins.com/2013/02/economys-fast-lane-bigger-than-you-think.html

Ad astra

25/02/2013Folks You may be interested to read Katharine Murphy’s piece in the [i]SMH[/i] this morning: [i]Beware the distorting influence of the live news cycle[/i]. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/beware-the-distorting-influence-of-the-live-news-cycle-20130224-2ezgh.html It was written in response to what I imagine was a pretty hostile response on [i]Twitter[/i] to her previous article: [i]She gets knocked down[/i]. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/she-gets-knocked-down-20130222-2ewyr.html#ixzz2Ldq8ppmW It makes an interesting read, promoting as it does the concept of ‘journalist as gatekeeper’, a role where journalists decide what they will allow through the gate, and how they will represent it. In medicine, family doctors act as ‘gatekeepers’, where the function is to assist patients to select other health professionals that might be helpful in their health care. It is a benign process designed to select the best available health care. But is Murphy’s journalistic ‘gate-keeping’ intended to be benign, to give the consumer the best available journalist cover, or will it go on doing what it has done for so long – allowing through the ‘gate’ what it wants us to know, blocking what it doesn’t want us to know? I would like Murphy to explain in some detail how journalists will fulfill this gatekeeper role evenhandedly.

lyn

25/02/2013Good Morning Ad and Everybody, It is still morning here. Glad you enjoyed the links, certainly some very interesting reading. Quite a few are relevant to your article. Katharine Murphy's piece as you say is an interesting read, but I agree with you there needs to more on how. The Press Conference with Christine Milne regarding Media Ownership was very interesting. Here is a few comments regarding the media: Mark Scott ‏ Consistent with all other polls - the overwhelming majority of Australians do not believe bias is an issue at the ABC http://bit.ly/X6uVZE Arioch ‏ @abcmarkscott or alternately when the political poll's were in favour of the government there was zero reporting on #abcnews24 Werner & Ursula How interesting a poll in The Oz saying no ABC right bias and later The Greens talking about media concentration and influence! Coincidence? Werner & Ursula ‏ Media acknowledge lack of scrutiny of Abbott and LNP therefore past time to look into policies!?!@youngapprentice @murpharoo @tonyabbottmhr Barry Tucker ‏ Right! Why would a news media company own half of Newspoll, for example? That shd be outlawed :):):)

Pikiranku

25/02/2013An absolutely gripping collection of links today, Lyn! You've really excelled yourself! The more I read of Victoria Rollinson the more impressed I become. And the article by Rodney Lever on IA was especially interesting too, along with a lot of very thought-provoking comments below. Thanks, Lyn, as always.

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25/02/2013Hi Lyn Interesting tidbits on ABC bias, or otherwise! Re Katharine Murphy’s article, a significant admission was contained in these words: [i]”Audience critique is expected. Once there were floods of letters to the editor. Now there are 140-character please explains on Twitter. Debate about my Labor leadership piece, which was published in The Saturday Age, ran for most of the day.”[/i] It is social media that is bringing journalists to account in a way they could have never imagined a couple of years ago. And they are not enjoying it after decades of calling the shots with only ‘Letters to the Editor’ to bring them to heel. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/beware-the-distorting-influence-of-the-live-news-cycle-20130224-2ezgh.html#ixzz2LsN3SoJP

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25/02/2013Pikiranku You are right about the Rodney Lever article on [i]IA[/i]. The comments, which were all congratulatory, were just as interesting to read.

Curi-Oz

25/02/2013My apologies for the late reply (from last week's converstation) Talk Turkey [quote]I must defend my line [i]Catholicism's the core of the Coalition Cabal [/i] against your *challenge that it is "Catholics" as a general term being at the core of the current LNP Cabal.* [b]Cabal[/b]: [i]1. A small group of intriguers, esp one formed for political purposes 2. A secret plot, esp a political one; conspiracy, intrigue. 3. A secret or exclusive set of people; clique. [/i] [/quote] I believe that we can easliy agree that there is a cabal of individuals that would prefer to install the LNP as the government of Astralia. Even though there is evidence to suggest that for a 'secretive group' they are easily identified (perhaps it is part of their 'head in the sand' charm?) I just have a difficulty with applying the same taint to the majority of Catholics or other Christian sects as is applied to hysterical rantings about other religions, particularly Islam. In both cases it is the extreme edges that grate the loudest. The front bench of the LNP may claim to be be Christians of a particular flavour, and they may be in sweet odour with a particular sect's hierachy, but I would challenge that they are believers by the oldest test of 'by their works shall you know them"! My Grandmother would have designated them "Sunday go to church christians". Having found wider sources of information regarding the Australian plitical landscape than just the mainstream media, I am reeminded of both the Medici and Borgia styles of "being "Catholic" ", which was all to do with holding power, whenever I read the fourth estate or find myself illuminated by fifth estate. Thank you for adding to my 'illumination' Regards,

Pikiranku

25/02/2013QT in the Senate is driving me nuts! I've come back to TPS to restore my sanity. Why don't Speakers/Presidents enforce their respective house rules instead of continually bleating for Order - Order that they never get. They have the power, why don't they use it? Instead of tolerating such a waste of time and allowing the entire proceedings to become so disrupted and disjointed that it becomes difficult to follow the line of argument. Whatever failings he may or may not possess, Peter Slipper was definitely the best Speaker in years.

Tom of Melboune

25/02/2013Is this an example of Fairfax moving to “the right” or of the complete abandonment of conscience and principles by the government? http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/hunger-strikes-wont-work--gillard-20130224-2ezox.html

Gravel

25/02/2013Ad Astra I click on the disseminate link but nothing happens. :-(

Marilyn

25/02/2013Gillard is now going down the same racist language as Ruddock with threats and abuse against prisoners she has illegally dumped in a prison on Nauru. She is worthless rubbish. And in spite of the revolting Bob Carr and his abuse of Assange he is enrolled as an elector and will stand in the senate.

DMW

25/02/2013Another 'must read' from ausvotes2013.com [b]The Ego Behind Anti-Welfarism[/b] Ed Butler [i]This ego manifests itself in an archetype which no doubt we’re all familiar with. The successful child of privilege who ‘earned’ all of their success. Born into a probably white, reasonably comfortable family in a reasonably comfortable, perhaps even well-off, part of town.[/i] http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/02/25/the-ego-behind-anti-welfarism/ If you haven't put ausvotes2013.com into your news feed reader yet plug it in as they are putting up some pretty good stuff on policy and other political wonkage at a great rate.

Pikiranku

25/02/2013Is Katherine Murphy being deliberately obtuse or does she just not get it? Using euphemisms like 'gate-keeper' and 'filter' is not going to convince an audience which has access to sources like IA, for example, that they are not being subjected to MSM censorship. We KNOW what they're leaving out, what they're not investigating, what they're not telling us, the questions they're not asking - and we're not impressed. Describing the stuff that's being dished up to us at present as "old-fashioned journalism" is absurd. A bit of genuine old-fashioned journalism is what we crave. Not this opinionated trivia that masquerades as news. I nearly choked on this little gem of disingenuity: "... but without a filter, information can assume disproportionate importance". WITH a filter, information can (and does) assume disproportionate importance, Katherine. That's the very problem! I hope she lifts her game when she starts to work for the Guardian! I hope she's capable of lifting her game.

Alan

25/02/2013I thank you for your article. I am a Labor man and very proud to say so. I earnestly believe in democratic socialisation. We are a greedy lot but then so is most of mankind. I firmly believe in helping those who have 'fallen through the cracks'. Voting people are in 3 classes;Staunch Labor, Staunch Liberal/NP and "Swinging Voters" it is the "Swinging Voters" (those who only vote for the Party that will help them!). In the Election that was a "Hung Parliament" (2010)the media was almost beside itself in trying to get a LNP government up--it almost succeeded! Do the voters remember when Rudd was PM. The media hounded him relentlessly--particularly over the "pink bats" problems. There was no way Kevin Rudd would have won the 2010 election--go back when he was PM and look at all the rotten publicity he was copping in 2009 and leading up to his resignation. Kevin Rudd did the honourable thing and resigned. Now look at the turmoil in the Liberal Party. They had leadership vote and Abbott won by ONE vote! Don't tell me there is harmony in their ranks. I sincerely hope the voting public can see what the Gillard Labor Party stands for and votes them in with a resounding win--I don't think our media will let though. They will bring up all the dirt they can (like Obeid and company (State Labor) and Craig Thompson's case) Surely the people must applaud the way Labor has so far kept us away from the GFC (and don't let the fact that the Howard Liberals amassed a 'war chest' of $Millions and Millions fool you--he reaped the benefits of the Keating Labor mining 'boom')

Ad astra

25/02/2013Alan Thank you for your comment. If you haven't commented here before, welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family. Do come again. It is a curious fact that although the people acknowledge that they would be worse off on most counts under a Coalition government, 57% believe Labor does not deserve to be re-elected. But 45% believe the Coalition is not ready to govern; only 36% do. Work that out! Read the Essential Poll: http://essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport

Ad astra

25/02/2013Folks Since this week's [i]Newspoll[/i] has been taken against the same back ground as last week's [i]Neilsen[/i] poll, don't expect the result to be different. Expect the piranhas to circle again, expect lots more leadership speculation (it has already started with the [i]Galaxy[/i] poll in Queensland, and the [i]Newspoll[/i] in NSW), and expect lots of anti-Gillard, anti-Labor commentary and news coverage. Let's hope Labor politicians refrain from making comment, and that they DON'T MENTION THE POLLS.

lyn

25/02/2013Hi Ad, We are having bad weather again, heavy rain all day today, This is what the weather report is saying: 24 hour totals of between 100 to 200mm are likely, with locally heavier totals in excess of 200mm possible. Periods of more intense rain may deliver totals in excess of 100mm over a shorter duration of up to 6 hours. Locations which may be affected include Rockhampton, Gladstone, Gympie, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, the Sunshine Coast and adjacent hinterland areas, Brisbane, Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba and the Cunningham Range. http://ewn.com.au/alerts/2013-02-25-072800-35208-432.weather

KHTAGH

25/02/2013Lyn I trust your not in a flood prone area, I hope you & family are all safe, & dry.

Ad astra

25/02/2013Hi Lyn We noticed on the news that you are having lots of rain up your way. What awful extreme weather there has been along the east coast this year! Down this way we have had almost no rain for months! Stay safe. Know we are thinking of you.

Pikiranku

25/02/2013Lyn I'm almost embarrassed to tell you we had about 5mm of very light soaking rain here today and were immensely grateful for it! I hope you'll be okay there. Stay safe - your country needs you!

bob macalba

25/02/2013Lyn stay dry and take care

lyn

25/02/2013Hi Ad, Khtagh and Pikiranku, Thankyou for caring, we are safe here but a lot are not. Pikiranku thankyou for your appreciation comments re "Today's Links" TPS and Ad Astra have provided us a wonderful platform to exchange opinions and share information. Here you are the three of you needing rain, while we are flooding. Guess that's were the saying comes from "If it doesn't rain it pours". :):):)

lyn

25/02/2013Thankyou Bob :):):)

bob macalba

25/02/2013Q and A Glad some relevant facts came out regarding assange, proper facts not conspiracy theories, i thought both the US ambassador and Bob Carr done well explaining the facts from the fantasy, personally im well over the assange man, he put himself in the position he's in, sooner or later he has to give himself up, man up and face his accusers, it isnt going away. all in all apart from turnbulls blah blah blah campaigning for the top job and the 'plant' with the inevitable 'poll' baiting, a most civil and entertaining show that dealt mostly with facts, a good change but im thinking normal disservice will probably resume next week,.. sigh

jane

26/02/2013Hi Lyn, I hope you're OK and the rain has stopped. If not, you can tell it to come down to SA and make itself useful, instead of upsetting our tweetie bird. No rain here since September. :) Ad astra, just read the Essential Report and really cannot understand the results. As you observed, on all counts except 2, the respondents believe they're much better off under Labor, and would be much worse off under the Liars, yet say the government doesn't deserve to be re-elected. A classic case of voting against one's own best interests and actually against the country's best interests. It shows a weird disconnect between what they [b]know[/b] to be true and their understanding of it. The two areas where the Liars are preferred over Labor, contrary to all the evidence, are the economy and business, so these are the 2 areas that the government really needs to get its skates on and counter Liars propaganda. The question still remains, though. Why, if you know that you and presumably your children, are significantly better off under a Labor government, would you vote against your and your family's best interests? The government has work hard to alter the perceptions planted by the Liars propaganda machine that the Liars are better for business and better at managing the economy, because the evidence contradicts the propaganda on all counts. Perhaps when they complete their tax returns with the benefit of the $18,200 tax free threshold, less tax to pay for lower income groups along with the superannuation tax benefits, the real consequences of a Liars government might dawn on them. Fortunately, there are still a few months to go to make some inroads. I imagine that Queenslanders are probably more aware of the economic consequences of a Liealot government than most of us, although the other Liars run states are also waking up to the idea that the Liars could even be trusted to run a chook raffle.

jane

26/02/2013DMW, thanks for the link to ausvotes. It is a great article and should be required reading for those on large salaries with an even larger sense of entitlement.

Austin 3:16

26/02/2013Hey there bob macalba Last time I heard something like that in was in 2007. Was much more fun then.

Keith D

26/02/2013I'd dearly love to disseminate this excellent article, but the button doesn't work. Anyone got any pointers on what I'm doing wrong?

Keith D

26/02/2013Lyn, thanks so much for your daily links. I can't even estimate how many things I would have remained ignorant of without your efforts.

lyn

26/02/2013Today’s Links Learning to Count by MrDenmore new journalism is by bloggers like Possum Comitatus http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/ The Politics of Consensus by @timdunlop, those conducting polling are able to reduce terms of debate http://kingstribune.com/index.php/weekly-email/item/1735-the-politics-of-consensus Tony Abbott on divisiveness, by @SarahEBurnside depiction of one’s opponents as ‘divisive’ is a familiar conservative tactic http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/tony-abbott-on-divisiveness/ Tony Abbott you need to balance your books. by @1petermartin Your time starts now http://www.petermartin.com.au/ Who Killed Channel Ten? @mumbrella, Lachlan Murdoch shot CEO Grant Blackley & announced http://mumbrella.com.au/who-killed-channel-ten-141595 Another revamp won’t save Murdoch’s Ten debacle by Glen Dyer part of the Murdoch inner circle, but without any significant TV know-how. http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/02/25/another-revamp-wont-save-murdochs-ten-debacle Mr Abbott’s witch hunt, by @MigloMT Tony Abbott has promised to do many things if the LNP win the 2013 election http://theaimn.com/2013/02/25/mr-abbots-witch-hunt/ The big shift to the extreme Right by @TownsvilleLabor emperors Newman and Abbott have no clothes http://www.townsvillelabor.org/1/post/2013/02/the-big-shift-to-the- The Greens/Labor divorce by Don Aitkin never any likelihood that they would prefer the Liberals, http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=14724 Swan tries to legislate for budget honesty by Ross Gittins the audit would prevent the new government from exaggerating the size of any "black hole" it left http://www.rossgittins.com/2013/02/swan-tries-to-legislate-for-budget.html Come on, wealthy baby boomers, by @YaThinkN, take a cut in super tax concessions for the rest of us http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/come-on-wealthy- Gutless by @MigloMT not having the guts to tell the truth and so on and so on and so on. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/gutless/ The COAG cycle of frustration goes ever on by @BernardKeane will continue unless radical change is contemplated. http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/02/25/the-coag-cycle-of-frustration-goes-ever-on/ The Unhunging- Voter Intent by @SalPiracha Australians more willing to risk a future with Tony Abbott http://onlythedepthvaries.blogspot.com.au/ MAYNIAC STRIKES AGAIN Failed attempt at corrupting MAV vote blows up in Stephen Mayne’s face http://www.vexnews.com/2013/02/mayniac-strikes-again-failed-attempt-at-corrupting-mav-- Are You Willing to Be Spoon Fed Junk Science? by @Mothincarnate http://newanthropocene.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/are-you-willing-to-be-spoon-fed-junk-science/ NBN: The National Barnaby Network By Michael Wyers Please explain, Mr Joyce. http://michaelwyres.com/2011/08/nbn-the-national-barnaby-network/ Coalition will accelerate NBN rollout, Turnbull says Turnbull stopped short of revealing exactly http://www.lgadigital.org/index.php?option=com_idoblog&task=viewpost&id Media should play fair with PM by Greg Barns veteran Canberra journalist Margo Kingston and the excellent news site Independent Australia, there has been no ongoing investigation by the media into this matter. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2013/02/25/373198_opinion.html Today’s Front pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 26 February 2013 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

Ad astra

26/02/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

KHTAGH

26/02/2013Well worth a read as it is so true. Defeat the Right in Three Minutes http://sideshow.me.uk/annex/defeattherightin3minutes.htm

TalkTurkey

26/02/2013Hi Lyn You haven't been washed away! Hope you are having a dry sunny day! Your Links are more precious than jewels and platinum For Knowledge is Power - and we'll use it to flatten 'em! Mark Scott CEO of ABC reckons that >3x as many people think ABC is biased to the Left than to the Right. (1 in 6 : 1 in 20) Believe it or NOT!

Tom of Melboune

26/02/2013More bad news for Gillard in today’s Newspoll. Less preferred as PM to Abbott, 10% behind on 2PP. But best we don’t discuss such unpleasantness. Why is it that the youth also dislike Gillard, but they hardly consume MSM? All their information comes from social networking sites which can’t run a political agenda. In reality, people have decided they simply don’t trust Gillard, or this government. They show good, independent judgment.

bob macalba

26/02/2013Polls and trolls..both full of poo, ignoring them both

lyn

26/02/2013Good Morning Talk Turkey, Ad and Everybody, Thankyou Talk Turkey. I can assure you it is not sunny Queensland here, pouring down, sky is black. Lovely little poem thankyou TT. Everybody should take the time to watch this video. Kerry Anne says the polls give Tony Abbott another chance to smack Julia Gillard around the head, just because the Australian has a marketing tool to sell their newspapers: Are we too focused on polls? Published on Feb 25, 2013 Sky News Political Editor David Speers speaks with political commentator Kerry-Anne Walsh and The Australia's Niki Savva. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Rcu0KchRk&feature=youtu.be :):):)

TalkTurkey

26/02/2013Greg Jericho‏@GrogsGamut Nancy's pick of the week RT @Jeff_Sparrow: My response to Gerard Henderson on Zygier, Stalinism and related matters. http://bit.ly/XV38vo

Janet (Jan @j4gypsy)

26/02/2013 Good morning, and thank you Ad for that superb lion’s roar piece on polls and our ALP members. May the jungle listen well, and tread softly on their padded feet from now on. They might just take a lesson on loyalty and friendship from other jungle residents: https://twitter.com/Earth_Pics/status/306160726786064385/photo/1 The Twitterati have been, mostly (and as the Tweetie Birdie showed yesterday), somewhat splenetic about polls, media and invisible LOTOs in the last 24 hrs: so we take, well, just a few more this morning. There’s plenty of watching/listening/reading being suggested in the Twittersphere, though. [b]Twitterati[/b] [i]Irene Short ‏@ipasho[/i] Speaking truth to power is essential in a just society but made more difficult when large sections of media are not interested in the facts [i]Concera Vota ‏@conceravota[/i] Thank DOG for Kerrie-Anne Walsh! She called the media idiocy over leadership & polls for exactly what it is: exaggerated beat-ups [i]Tony Windsor ‏@TonyWindsorMP[/i] In '98 @johnhoward had Sen. Heff. approach me to join the Libs. Now he thinks New England belongs to the Nats. How times change!#60mins [i]Craig Emerson MP ‏@CraigEmersonMP[/i] When other states agreed on electricity reform in December, QLD was only state to reserve its position. No wonder there are big price rises. [i]Arioch ‏@the_LoungeFly[/i] So it was #abcnews24 Simpkin out at the health minister's press conference totally ignoring the health announcement #ruddploitation#auspol [i]secco ‏@MikeSeccombe[/i] ... best thing Labor could do for itself is lock Paul Howes in a cupboard until Sept 25 [i]Zac Spitzer ‏@zackster[/i] #fairfax goes completely feral on Labor and then #newsltd measures the effect #newspoll #ausvotes [i]D Mick Weir ‏@dmickweir[/i] Serious question How many pollsters does it take to change a government? #justaskin for a friend ;) [i]Katharine Murphy ‏@murpharoo[/i] @MouseMissM @timharcourt I think there are different types & manifestations of toughness. Direct comparisons difficult. JG tough as boots. [i]Di Pearton ‏@peartonjohnson[/i] @murpharoo @TimHarcourt I have heard that JG is very popular in caucus not because she is tough but because she is upbeat & positive. [i]Andrew Elder ‏@awelder[/i] This time next year, I believe Julia Gillard will still be PM. Am I really just pig-headed? Am I mentally ill? [i]Gwillyyy ‏@Gwillyyy[/i] Newspoll, Preferred PM, Julia with glasses 21%; Julia without glasses 34%; Rudd's glasses 70%; Rudd in his glasses - Bigger than Jesus [i]Jonathan Green ‏@GreenJ[/i] Well that was an anti-climax. looks like Malcolm Turnbull is safe in the ALP leadership for now. #newspoll [i]David Horton ‏@watermelon_man[/i] Opening for private enterprise eh @barryofarrell - armoured car tours of National Parks. [b]Twitterverse[/b] [i]Alison Parkes ‏@alison_parkes1[/i] This really is the best thing since sliced bread. Thanks Global Mail! Party Lines - Parliament By Numbershttp://partylines.theglobalmail.org/preset/Immigration … [i]Geoff Pearson ‏@GCobber99[/i] Australia's election in five subplots: from gender politics to Julian Assange | Peter Salmon http://gu.com/p/3dezy/tw via @guardian [i]@BreakfastNews[/i] Craig Emerson unfazed by poor poll result; accuses Tony Abbott of lying low to avoid scruitiny: http://bit.ly/WeR4Ip #newspoll [i]Possum Comitatus ‏@Pollytics[/i] Here's the new poll trend with Newspoll http://twitpic.com/c6qb67 Which is the same as it was before it came out. Here endeth the lesson [i]Darryl Snow ‏@lapuntadelfin[/i] Another Hulk smash on the media. RT @randlight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Rcu0KchRk&feature=youtu.be … Thank you Kerry-Anne Walsh [i]@ABCthedrum[/i] Labor's losing audience but not because voters see a bright future under Abbott, writes @PeterLewisEMC & @jackiewoodshttp://bit.ly/ZEM94q [i]Eddie L ‏@eddietqld[/i] Tony Abbott on divisiveness http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/tony-abbott-on-divisiveness/ … [i]@Mamamia[/i] "Why I don't believe Australia is ready for a female Prime Minister."http://bit.ly/WcZmQR #mmia [i][j4gypsy comment: actually a positive take][/i] [i]secco ‏@MikeSeccombe[/i] Labor whinges the Greens are 'extreme'. Their REAL problem with the Greens is that they are not extreme enough.http://powerhouse.theglobalmail.org/be-laboring-the-greens/ … [i]Sydney Netter ‏@sydnets[/i] Has the green movement been an abject failure?http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/green-movement-has-been-an-abject-failure-20121204-2at7t.html … #climatechange [i]Chris Hope ‏@cwhope[/i] ICYM Good explanation of what we must do to have a 50:50 chance of staying below 2 degC @SMEasterbrook http://ow.ly/hSO7K [i]Bill McKibben ‏@billmckibben[/i] NOAA researcher: “World is entering a very different environment, the impact of that on labor will be significant.”http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-is-cutting-humans-work-capacity-study-finds-15654 … [i]Apparatchik Tads ‏@Tadlette[/i] The UK Guardian: Australian climate outlook remains bleak with Tony Abbot out for revenge http://gu.com/p/3e3xz/tw #auspol [i]Rob Walls ‏@Rob_Walls[/i] Coalition will compensate businesses for abolition of carbon tax: Hockey http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/-2f1jg.html … [i]Destroy The Joint ‏@JointDestroyer[/i] Recognising Australia's first female speaker, Joan Child:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-25/first-female-speaker-joan-child-dies/4537048 … [i]Julia Gillard ‏@JuliaGillard[/i] Megan Mitchell has been appointed Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner. TeamJG pic.twitter.com/hHwtBHa2j6 [i]Jenny MacKinnon ‏@jennylmackinnon[/i] The ego behind anti-welfarism http://wp.me/s2r8pA-569 [i]Bernard McEldowney ‏@BernardMcEldown[/i] Looks like the Tories want the BBC to be their propaganda mouthpiece 'Conservatives go to war on 'bias’ at the BBC'http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9890162/Conservatives-go-to-war-on-bias-at-the-BBC.html … [i]Darren Cheeseman ‏@DCheesemanMP[/i] Labor invests in crucial infrastructure projects. Was great to see the Geelong Ring Rd come to fruition. https://m.facebook.com/?refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F&_rdr#!/photo.php?fbid=314761858626141&id=244047662364228&set=a.271315239637470.42552.244047662364228&__user=1215788720 … #auspol [i]Cath Bowtell ‏@cathbowtell[/i] As predicted (denied by Baillieu)RT @Mareeoh: Study shows#TAFE cuts in Vic hit young women hardesthttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/vic-tafe-cuts-hit-women-harder/story-fn3dxiwe-1226584641869 … via @yacvickate

Ad astra

26/02/2013Hi Lyn I’ve enjoyed your links again this morning. Thank you for the YouTube links of Kerry-Anne Walsh which I’ll look at later – I have to go out for a while. Janet You have given us a great collection of Twitter-talk today. Thank you.

Ad astra

26/02/2013KeithD If you haven’t been here before, welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family. Do come again. To disseminate this post, you click on the words: ‘Disseminate this post’ in the shaded panel at the top or foot of the post. This should bring up your email client with all the recipients and message already in place. I’ve just checked, and it works OK. What email client do you use? Gravel What email client do you use?

Ad astra

26/02/2013Hi Lyn I hope the rain has eased in your area, and that you are OK. I see the Mary River is flooding in Gympie, and for the fifth time this year some of the CBD is flooded. We had a good downfall this morning in Melbourne. It's welcome here!

LadyInRed

26/02/2013Ad disseminate doesn't work for me. Outlook. Wet wet wet. Lyn my little tweety we have a lake forming in our yard. Moved all the cars, mowers and equipment to higher ground. If it would just stop raining. Watched that youtube with Kerri-Anne Walsh, Spears & Savva. The smirks on Spears and Savva's face, says it all really. The argument that Savva used to solidify her case that the PM brings it on herself. And I honestly cannot believe I am about to type this it makes my blood boil so much! The PM announced the election and then announced the resignations. SO WHAT! The only message I take out of that little bit of gossip is that the Canberra press gallery don't like surprises. They want to be seen as being in the know. The poor diddums, their only claim to fame in life is knowing everything before it happens. Gillard threatens that, and so she must pay.

Crowey

26/02/2013Hi Ad astra I am trying to find the Labor candidate for Forde 4207,I tried to google it without success. I keep getting the candidate from 2010. I'd appreciate it if you could find out for me.

Gravel

26/02/2013Ad Astra Mozilla Thunderbird. I notice at the top you have a sign in place, which I have never done. Also my email address is different since we moved last year. If I put my real email in this site doesn't recognise me. I don't want to lose my gravatar or name here.

NormanK

26/02/2013Gravel Go to Gravatar: https://en.gravatar.com/ Add your new 'real' e-mail address and attach your current image to that address. You should then be able to use your new e-mail on [i]TPS[/i] with your current image and name. This should enable the [i] disseminate[/i] function for you.

bob macalba

26/02/2013Lyn..Janet..TT, excellent links and those twitter thingy's thankyou all Kerry-Anne Walsh...a big yee ha, that was so good to see [you never know who's lurking, just in case] cheers

Bacchus

26/02/2013Crowey, try this: http://www.deshardman.com/meadowbrook_resident_des_hardman_will_stand_for_labor_in_forde

LadyInRed

26/02/2013OK I want some help from someone who knows about the Bureau of Stats. Truss has just put out this press release (its all he ever does in this electorate. [i]The Federal Labor Government blamed a fall in Queensland’s population for the cut to the State’s hospital budget, saying that it had fallen by 35,000 people, but the Bureau of Statistics says Queensland’s population has actually increased by 67,000 people. [/i] http://www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/swan-must-reinstate-his-treacherous-cuts-to-queensland-hospitals,28818#.USv61PZ4yr0.twitter So I went to find the stats, thinking June 2011 to June 2012. June 2011 http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/C521664B22CEE131CA2579CF000F9AF4?opendocument June 2012 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0 2011 June population = 4 580.7 2012 June population = 4 560.1 That does rather look like Qld's population has gone down? But am I looking in the right place for these figures? I want to get to the bottom of this argy bargy about health funding. They do these stats in March, June, Sept and Dec so it could they use all the data and come up with a figure of population drop of 35,000 overall? I am sure this is just being put out there to muddy the waters, and since the narrative is th PM is at fault no matter what she does it probably achieves that aim.

Crowey

26/02/2013Thanks Bacchus Just joined up, so as to keep up to date, with what is going on.

Gorgeous Dunny

26/02/2013Hi Ad Good to see you and most of the posters not taken in by the media blitz and polls assault. One can almost predict the pattern, confirmed somewhat by Tom's posts. The latest Liberal line, no doubt showing up in their focus group research, is "...poor Rudd should be reinstated. He was the elected PM after all. If only they'd do it, support would return." We've seen that trotted out by Howard on 60 Minutes and then by Turnbull on Q & A. It's nonsense of course, but they are running out of things to fly with. Policies? Paying for them? Been away a bit and had my own introduction to fame in IA http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/australian-identity/victoria/portland-potroom-asthma-victims/ It's part of a small series I'll be running about some of my casework as a country employment counsellor way back when, but still sort of relevant on life matters. If anyone wants a break from current politics, I'd welcome the read and comments. Regards Gorgeous Dunny

Curi-Oz

26/02/2013Lady in Red You will probably find more accurate information from the [b]3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2011[/b] for Queensland (http://tinyurl.com/a6j8x4c) Funding reports for hospitals under the National Health Reform legislation is available from NHR Public Hospital Funding site (http://tinyurl.com/alht2sg) and the basis on which they fund each state (http://tinyurl.com/axq9t89) Hope that helps, Regards

NormanK

26/02/2013LadyInRed I don't necessarily have my head properly around this but as I understand it the health money is being paid in advance, based on bureau estimates of projected population growth. The estimates provided by the bureau at the time of signing of the agreement have since been revised - downwards. It is very convenient for some critics to be able to point to an institution such as the Bureau of Statistics and label it as being part of the current government (which arguably it is) and therefore throw a blanket of blame over Labor. The Bureau stuffed up its original estimates and the government is not going to hand over money that it does not owe to the states under the current agreement. These changes should be regarded as revisions but of course the states prefer to refer to them as cuts. Time permitting, I'll see if I can find some documentation to back up my memory.

Bacchus

26/02/2013Is Forde your electorate Crowey? If so, we're neighbours - I'm in Rankin :)

Pikiranku

26/02/2013From Greg Barns's article in the Hobart Mercury (see Lyn's links): "The media campaign against Ms Gillard and her government can have only two foundations -- a dislike of a woman as prime minister or a nasty conservatism that seeks to protect privilege. Either one is unacceptable. We should call on our mainstream media to play fair or not play at all. It is far from healthy for the media in a liberal democratic society to become so unbalanced on matters pertaining to politics." Oh but it's not unbalanced, Greg, it's a 'filter' - just ask Katherine Murphy.

Bacchus

26/02/2013[quote]{The latest Liberal line, no doubt showing up in their focus group research, is "...poor Rudd should be reinstated. He was the elected PM after all. If only they'd do it, support would return."}[/quote] Gorgeous Dunny, IMO they think since they've destroyed Rudd once, they can do it again, more easily than Ms Gillard. Hence all of the Liberal shills breathlessly repeating the mantra ;-)

Crowey

26/02/2013Bacchus ssh don't tell anyone, but I live in that posh place called Eagleby.

LadyInRed

26/02/2013Thanks for responding NormanK - that sort of makes sense because I did see a trend downwards in the population figures over time. So based on that it doesn't surprise me that the projection is down.

Ad astra

26/02/2013Folks I’ve been out and about this morning and so have missed most of the news bulletins and [i]The World Today[/i]. Apart from brief references in the morning news to ‘another poor poll’ for Labor, and its similarity to the [i]Nielsen[/i] poll, [i]Newspoll[/i] seems not to have excited the piranhas much. The only one I heard, Sabra Lane, tried to bite Craig Emerson, but he gave her the flick with words that indicated that Labor would be very competitive and win the election. I can’t recall him mentioning the poll. The transcript is not yet available. Have any of you heard or seen anything like the feeding frenzy we had after [i]Nielsen[/i]? Maybe it’s still to come, but so far it seems to be ‘all quiet on the Western Front’. It would be egotistical to assume that [i]Don’t mention the polls[/i], that several of you disseminated, might have influenced Labor parliamentarians’ behavior, but one can’t help but wonder. Have the piranhas tired of poll fodder? The YouTube of the Spears/Savva/Walsh interview was instructional. Piranhas Spears and Savva were in there satisfying their lust for PM Gillard’s blood, but that interview was done before [i]Newspoll[/i]. Please document here what you have seen/heard about today’s [i]Newspoll[/i] so we can see how it compares with the reaction to the [i]Nielsen[/i] poll.

Ad astra

26/02/2013Gorgeous Dunny Welcome back. I haven’t heard much [i]Newspoll[/i] commentary so far, but there is the evening news to come. I enjoyed reading your interesting article on [i]IA[/i]. Very well done.

TalkTurkey

26/02/2013Insanitary Alert! But I do think it's funny, and it seems like the way things are up there for poor Tweety and LiR. So ironic, Adelaide had a bit of rain t'other day but we hang out for rain ALL the time. Anyway if you don't like rude words scroll past! V V V Most famous use of the most useful word of infamy: [u]Noah:-[/u][i]Scattered showers my #*cking @rse! [/i] C'mon admit it it's hilarious. :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several people I'm really pleased to see back. All of you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No-one has stepped up to have a traditional cheapo Swordsfolk Lunch with others in Adelaide between 11th & 15 March. I can speak for at least two others faithful and powerful Comrades of the Sword who will be there. But come on Crowies Speak up now!

Tom of Melboune

26/02/2013[i]”Please document here what you have seen/heard about today’s Newspoll[/i]” • It confirms the ALP primary vote is stuck – at around 30% • The ALP is about 10% behind on 2PP • Abbott is ahead of Gillard as preferred PM (amazing as that seems) This confirms the anecdotal advice I hear that people just can’t wait to have a crack at this government. So many MPs are looking at long term unemployment, because they’re not qualified for any other job and there are no state ALP governments to offer them consultancies. Their self-interest will focus their interest.

LadyInRed

26/02/2013Ad I am refusing to open any articles that mention the polls. Apparently the MSM use the number of clicks to determine if people are interested in the horse race and so write more on the subject. I have a feeling that the majority (well a lot) of the clicks are from people like us, who actually think they are disgusting & put links up, and actually disemminate the tripe, so I am not feeding them. By linking to them we help get revenue from the advertisors etc. So perhaps we can think about not doing it anymore? I just look at the headline, and the author that's all I need to know. Eventually an independent blogger or website will pull apart the article and I get to find out what was in it that way. So I am not burying my head in the sand or anything. For example, I will read IA or Andrew Elder and find out the drivel that way. Thanks to everyone for your help on the population stats. I do think that the trend in Qld has been down. I have a feeling that Truss is being selective and choosing some of the figures that feed into his narrative. And lets face it most people in Qld would find it very hard to believe that our numbers are going down. But WA saw a 3.3% rise in population and they have to be coming from somewhere? Makes sense its coming from another mining state.

LadyInRed

26/02/2013Rain rain and more rain....the lake is filling up and it isn't looking good, might get water under the house....yuk.

Gorgeous Dunny

26/02/2013LadyinRed, I don't think Truss is to be Trussted on figures. He has publicly likened Australia's debt position to that of Greece's. Let's see: Australia's debt is about 10% of GDP.Greece's is 225%. Now how is it that only Truss and Hockey noticed the resemblance?

MWS

26/02/2013LiR, last night on Mediawatch Dennis Shanahan actually used the "click" argument - that the rest of the Oz's front pages that week were on "policy" (obviously not the Coalition's policy, because they don't have any), but the leadership speculation had a much higher interest, measured by online "clicks." Obviously the Oz should just put fluffy kittens on the front page - I hear that they are popular on the Web.

lyn

26/02/2013Hi Ad, The rain here is still horrific. The lady next door still has the storm water channel blocked up with tiles, she thinks that will keep the rain out of her backyard or should I say our rain out. This Newspoll frenzy is just a bad as the Neilson desperate screaming by the media, I have collected a few articles for you, seems Julia staying in Western Sydney for 5 days is because of the Polls. They have photographed the accommodation and articles are emphasizing Julia is giving up Kirribilli, it is all sarcasm. [i]PM’s bid to win back heartland[/i], The leadership tensions are likely to continue to fester following publication of the latest Newspoll on Tuesday. An Essential Media poll published on Monday reflects the findings of last week’s Nielsen poll and shows the Coalition leads Labor on a two-party preferred basis by 56 per cent to 44 per cent. In NSW, the Nielsen poll had Labor’s primary vote at 26 per cent and showed it lagging the Coalition on a two-party basis by 56 per cent to 44 per cent. Internal polling shows the situation for Labor more dire in western Sydney http://www.afr.com/p/national/pm_bid_to_win_back_heartland_TlMOHRt7mmHRYvgj17dGeM Gillard makes jobs pitch amid dire polls, Paul Osborne, SMH http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-makes-jobs-pitch-amid-dire-polls-20130226-2f2wt.html PM Gillard heads west as polls dive http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=849469 PM moves into western Sydney in 'burb blitz, Judith Ireland This follows a series of poor poll results for the government, including the latest Newspoll on Tuesday, which puts the Coalition in a clear-election winning position, with a two-party-preferred result of 55 per cent to 45 per cent http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-moves-into-western-sydney-in-burb-blitz-20130226-2f2n1.html#ixzz2Lz6XbG6k Voters ignore Abbott 'faults', Andrew Probyn Voters are so fed up with Federal Labor they are prepared to hand Tony Abbott the keys to The Lodge even though they don't think he'd be good for jobs, interest rates, the environment or the cost of living. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/16240499/voters-ignore-abbott-faults/ Julia Gillard would lose federal election if held today, latest Newspoll says , Herald Sun http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/julia-gillard-would-lose-federal-election-if-held-today-latest-newspoll-says/story-e6frf7jo-1226585484702 Gillard to head west as poll puts Abbott on the up By chief political correspondent Simon Cullen, ABC If the results were replicated on election day, Labor would lose dozens of seats, including a string of marginal seats in western Sydney. http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/16241091/gillard-slumps-further-in-latest-newspoll/ Tony Abbott leads Julia Gillard as Labor mired at 31: Newspoll, Dennis Shanahan http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-leads-pm-as-labor-mired-at-31-newspoll/story-fn59niix-1226585484272 :):):)

Janet (jan@j4gypsy)

26/02/2013 From Bernard Keane on Crikey. (A non-paywall link may become available, but in case it doesn't ...) [b]The evolution of 'Direct Action': soil magic to magic pudding[/b] For the first three years of its life, the Coalition's climate action policy, "Direct Action", merely didn't add up. Now it has turned into a magic pudding. "Direct Action" was released in early 2010 after being cobbled together by Greg Hunt over the previous summer following the Abbott putsch that knocked off Malcolm Turnbull. Structured around a massive grants program for big polluters and farmers, the proposal relied heavily on biosequestration via soil carbon, or what Lenore Taylor -- who has played a lone hand in comprehensively demonstrating the absurdities of the policy -- called "soil magic". Now, after [u]Joe Hockey said the program [/u][ http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/we-may-compensate-for-carbon-tax-refits--hockey-20130225-2f23d.html ] would also be the source of compensation funds for companies out of pocket after the repeal of the carbon price, it's become the magic pudding. The policy itself is grossly underfunded for what it is proposed to achieve -- a 5% cut in emissions by 2020. Originally costed at $1.2 billion per annum or around $10 billion to 2020, it relies, according to the Coalition's own policy document, on 60% of its carbon abatement task being achieved via soil magic for $8-10 a tonne, and the rest delivered at higher prices, for an average cost of around $11 a tonne. [u]As Crikey pointed out[/u],[ http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/05/19/that-was-careless-hunts-climate-policy-just-blew-out-30/ ] when the policy was released, independent experts estimated soil carbon at more like $20-40 a tonne. Hunt has gamely held out against reality since releasing the policy, but in 2011 he admitted the average price of abatement would be $15 a tonne, not $11, although where the additional 30% cost of the program was coming from wasn't explained. Then, in August 2011, Hunt was humiliated when, on a visit to a Woorndoo farm to promote the policy, the farm owner, who had already undertaken soil carbon initiatives off his own bat, said that the Coalition's scheme [u]wouldn't provide enough incentive for farmers[/u]. [http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/08/08/direct-action-in-more-trouble-as-soil-magic-blowouts-loom/ ] As Malcolm Turnbull pointed out in 2011, Direct Action was the sort of policy that climate denialists could embrace because it could be dumped quickly. And, as Turnbull added, it would become a very significant cost to the budget in the future. As Treasury explained in its election briefing on the policy, the policy was unlikely to be able to deliver the target level of abatement without a significant increase in costs. Experience of Direct Action-style carbon abatement grants programs under the [u]Howard and Rudd governments [/u][ http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-cash-goes-up-in-smoke-20110214-1atnh.html ] was that they delivered abatement for an average of $168 a tonne. The government later released a costing suggesting Direct Action would need three times its forecast funding out to 2020, or around $30 billion. [u]The Australia Institute [/u]suggested [ https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=878&act=display ] the cost would be more like $11 billion per annum, and noted the policy had no provision for the large number of public servants who would be needed to administer a multibillion-dollar grants program. Now Joe Hockey has loaded another cost onto the program, saying it would be used to provide compensation for companies caught short by the repeal of the carbon price. That's the compensation Hunt said in 2011 [u]simply wouldn't exist[/u]: [ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/how-to-repeal-the-carbon-tax/story-e6frgd0x-1226175599294 ] "There is no need for or risk of compensation by abolishing the tax." Oops. Hockey's problem is that, once he's treasurer, all this Monopoly money stuff becomes a real problem. Direct Action is a fiscal or environmental disaster waiting to happen; either the Coalition pretends that it is on track to achieve 5% emissions reductions as long as it can and then hopes voters don't care when the reality of Australia's rising emissions is demonstrated, or Hockey has to find at least a couple of billion dollars a year to get the program working in a way that stands a chance of reaching the 5% target. The "case-by-case" compensation will only make that problem more acute, by at least hundreds of millions of dollars and possibly by billions. In short, Hockey has to either admit the 5% emissions reduction target is unobtainable, or admit he needs a couple of billion a year from somewhere to fix a manifestly flawed program. He can pretend everything is fine only until he's in office. All the magic in the world won't help.

Janet (jan@j4gypsy)

26/02/2013 Ad, I sent you an email via the Contact link this morning. I'm another TPSer (there are now 4 or 5 of us?) who can't make the 'Disseminate' link on this or any recent post by you bring up our email program. I have no problems with 'Create your own email' links. These work perfectly. When I click on the 'Disseminate' link, ALL the email addresses of pollies actually appear in the URL link space at the top of either Chrome or Explorer (doesn't matter which browser I use), but don't bring up Outlook. If it works for 'Create your own mail', but doesn't for 'Disseminate', I think we may have a coding problem (not that I know a thing about coding!) Hoping you and Web Monkey can sort out what the problem is, as am anxious to both use and promulgate the 'Disseminate; facility. Cheers

KHTAGH

26/02/2013 Janet [quote]In short, Hockey has to either admit the 5% emissions reduction target is unobtainable, or admit he needs a couple of billion a year from somewhere to fix a manifestly flawed program.[/quote] One problem is who is going to ask him, he will just do what the mad monk does & ignore inconvenient facts or questions, who is going to hold him to account? the MSM? the ABC?. Sad isn't it. I get so bloody angry when I see what is being done in this country (so blatantly) by a few rich people with media control. Its just school bully boy tactics gone mad, whip up descent & give a mob rule mentality cause a fight, then stand back going tut tut look at the brawl "she started it teacher." By the way I use Firefox & that works fine with the 'Disseminate' facility.

Janet

26/02/2013 With the emphasis on the 'she' who's starting it, Knee High. It is sad, but we haven't lost yet. No-one, but no-one in the #msm has had a good word to say about the Direct Action folly and fallacy. We have to keep hitting this one in debate and discussion, along with the NBN ... And thank you for the Firefox tip. It works! So Ad, apologies for chasing you and please now ignore requests (though am still confused as to why part of the system works across all browsers, but not the 'Disseminate' function. Hope your finger is on the mend Knee High :-)

Sir Ian Crisp

26/02/2013[quote][i]Don’t mention the polls Saturday, 23 February 2013 15:20 by Ad astra [/i][/quote] We won’t mention the polls. We’ll leave that up to Ad Astra. Here is Ad Astra writing a piece from a quaint period in TPS’s history. A quaint period when polls did matter. [quote][i]Why is our PM so popular? Tuesday, 7 April 2009 18:07 by Ad astra Another Newspoll today, the Essential Research Report yesterday, Morgan last Friday and ACNielsen last Monday, all give the same message – the Rudd Government is very popular and the PM enjoys high approval and high preferred PM ratings. Today’s Newspoll has the 2PP back at the February levels of 58/42. Satisfaction with Kevin Rudd is 68% and dissatisfaction 21%, a positive gap of 47 percentage points. He is the preferred PM by 67 to 18, a 49 point gap. All these are the best figures for this year and close to the best ever. Essential Research, which uses a methodology different from the others, has 2PP at the improbable level of 63/37 two weeks in a row. Morgan has the figure at 61/39.and ACNielsen at 58/42 with PPM at 69/24 and Rudd satisfaction/dissatisfaction at 74/22. All these are remarkably consistent, albeit with a few quite stratospheric 2PP levels. Possum’s Pollytrack aggregate figures are around 60/40, and Pollytrend is steadily edging up in Labor’s favour. [...] What do you think makes Kevin Rudd and his Government so popular? What do you think makes Malcolm Turnbull and his Coalition so unpopular?. More of the latter later this week. [/i][/quote]

Ad astra

26/02/2013Hi Lyn I’ve missed a lot of the news and current affairs programs today. From what you say, the piranhas were out circling again. On [i]The Drum[i] there was quite a lot of discussion about the poll and the Western Suburbs visit, but nothing much about leadership. One panelist expressed the view that there seemed to be less fuss this time. [i]7.30[/i] was similar. PM Gillard’s antagonists want to go in for the kill now, but with another poll a fortnight away, there may not be poll fodder. So they will try to drum up antipathy to her in Western Sydney. It looks like an all out vicious attack. Simon Crean was the only one I saw who commented directly on the poll. Let’s just see what transpires. Janet To date it has been PM Gillard and Labor that has copped all the flak about their approach to climate change. Soon it will be Abbott, Hockey and Hunt. I’ll get Web Monkey to check out the vagaries of the ‘Disseminate’ function tomorrow.

Tom of Melboune

26/02/2013That is some very amusing history Sir Ian Crisp. [i]“When the ALP changes its narrative, Ad Astra changes his mind. What do you do Sir?”[/i]

Ad astra reply

26/02/2013Hi Lyn I've checked the forecast for your area on the iPad - it says the rain will ease over the next few days. I hope so. Your next door neighbor is not helping, is she! Now that Newspoll is behind us, I'll post another piece tomorrow evening not related to polls but to consumer confidence.

TalkTurkey

27/02/2013Let's suppose POLLS didn't exist, but we still had to win the election anyway against all the foes conjoined as they are, with their seized media prize the ABC gloatingly at the cutting edge. For their swords are many, and mighty. Whereas we have just one Sword, this noble little blogsite, but individually we have many many little swords of our own. We must individually find ways of pricking the bloated enemy in a million ways, in the Media and in the workplace, the schools and police stations and clubs and boardrooms, and making the case for this the best imaginable Government doing so marvellously with very limited power and mighty naysaying opposition. Our creativity with this medium, and our success at bringing our understanding to the many, many, many who will vote at the [b]Ides of September* Election[/b], will be critical to a Labor victory. *J*U*L*I*A* has gone to Western Sydney to talk to many many people, in face of what is already a massive sneering campaign by the despicable MSM, and the outright hatespitting of many of the locals, deep in the thrall of fearmongering by the shockjockery whose jingoism forms a mad heterodyne in their selfcentred minds ... Pretty gutsy of our PM but she is nothing if not tough. She is doing what must be done to get our *narrative* (?!) out to the many. What strategies can we think of to help bring clarity to those who have been induced to think of themselves as hard-done-by by a Bad Government,(and all that syndrome)? It would be good I think to hold some mass Support-Labor meetings, only a half-baked kite I'm flying here, howzat for a mixed metaphor. Paid Address/es to the Nation? Free Labor Day Out with bands and speeches? (couldn't be actual Labor Day though, pity) How to force the Media to investigate and trumpet @Ashbygate? Fear not the POLLS Comrades. This was never going to be a doddle. We must just all do our best, talk the Government up, help to make people realize just how well off they really are and how badly they will be affected forever were the Abborttians to win. Do that, promote the doing of it to others, be loud where you must be, and we will win.

lyn

27/02/2013Today’s Links Does a blood oath fade in the wash? @KayRollison Abbott’s direct action plan is a sick joke http://victoriarollison.com/2013/02/26/does-a-blood-oath-fa Who’s Extremist? @BetterNatureOz Tony Abbott has pursued an unabashedly negative campaign http://betternature.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/whos-extremist/ What do you mean the Australian media can’t change the Prime Minister?! by @turnleft2013 http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/what-do-you-mean-the-australian-media- How Slipper Got Trolled, by @yelgeb, Why? Because the real trolls work in the media, http://newmatilda.com/2013/02/26/slipper-trolled Does policy rule, or do AusVotes 2013 readers want more? @Drag0nista We will cover them all, in a way that is not seen in http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/02/26/does-policy-rule-or-do-ausvotes-2013- Repealing the carbon tax will end an outstanding business investment program by @DamienCWalker http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/02/26/repealing-the-carbon-tax-will-end-an-outstanding- Revealed! The media conspiracy against the Government by @MigloMT catalyst was Murdoch’s luncheon with Tony Abbott http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/revealed-the-media- Is life a bit tougher for Gillard in politics because she’s a woman- @bogurk Gillard has it a bit tougher to do with unconscious biases http://bogurk.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/is-life-a-bit-tougher-for-gillard-in-politics- Hobart’s Mercury slips one past the keeper by @btckr no scrutiny on the man who will be the beneficiary of the constant http://truthinmediaresourcecentre.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/hobarts-mer Enter the baron, exit the truth @btckrby the treatment of this issue by the ABC most disturbing. http://truthinmediaresourcecentre.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/enter-the-baron- Forrest sets high bar for Australia’s 32 billionaires by Hugh Australia’s wealthiest are not known for their generosity http://coffsoutlook.com/forrest-sets-high-bar-for-australias-32-billionaires/ Medi-muddle: hospital funding fight is resolved but the blame game goes on by Stephen Duckett' http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/02/26/medi-muddle-hospital-funding-fight-is-resolved Be-Laboring The Greens, by @MikeSeccombe not at all that they are too extreme. It is they are not extreme enough. http://powerhouse.theglobalmail.org/be-laboring-the-greens/ Class size, Gonski and schools funding: what are the facts? @dzyngier https://theconversation.edu.au/class-size-gonski-and-schools-funding-what Stark Difference between Labour & Liberal in the West. @YosefAlbric services and infrastructure vote Labour. http://yosefalbric.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/stark-difference-between-labour-and- Don’t think of Kevin Rudd! by Gordon The Coalition will use all of this material in an advertising campaign http://gordonsthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/dont-think-of-kevin-rudd/ SEX! DRUGS! ROCK n ROLL! It’s A Mainstream Media Heading by @knarfnamduh Phoney Tony Abbott and his misnamed Liberal Party http://deknarf.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/graphic-manipulations-23-sex-drugs-rock-n-roll- People in political parties by @watermelon_man People in different political parties can seem more alike http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/people-in-political-parties/ Hockey backtracks on carbon tax compensation by @Simon_Cullen issued statement backtracking from original comments. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-26/hockey-backtracks-on-carbon-tax-co The FTTN truth the Coalition does not want known by @renailemay, disastrously flawed fibre to the node plans. http://delimiter.com.au/2013/02/26/the-fttn-truth-the-coalition-does-not-want-known/ Former Labor MP’s bid to contest Indi, By BRAD WORRALL, @denniallen to resurrect her political career as Labor’s candidate for Indi. http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1325667/former-labor-mps-bid-to-contest-indi/?cs=11 tony abbott carbon tax election, http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/topic/tony-abbott/ Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 27 February 2013 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

KHTAGH

27/02/2013A palindrome for your kids. If you have them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Truth Seeker

27/02/2013Morning Swordsters, on a related topic, the question was asked over the Italian elections, "How could someone like Silvio Berlusconi poll so well?" Here's my take on that very question. http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/is-tony-abbott-australias-own-silvio-berlusconi/ Sorry, not a poem Cheers :-)

Truth Seeker

27/02/2013Oops, forgot the title "Is Tony Abbott Australia's own Silvio Berlusconi?" http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/is-tony-abbott-australias-own-silvio-berlusconi/ Cheers :-) :-)

Ad astra

27/02/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

Ad astra

27/02/2013Good Morning Lyn Thank you for another great set of links that I will read after breakfast. I hope the rain has eased. We are thinking of you.

Tom of Melboune

27/02/2013[i]” What strategies can we think of to help bring clarity to those who have been induced to think of themselves as hard-done-by by a Bad Government,(and all that syndrome)?[/i] Here are a few suggestions for Gillard- • Apologise for not telling the truth • Be gracious and humble about the fact that you owe the economic prosperity to your processors (ie tell Swan to keep him arrogant mouth shut) • Apologise or putting men, women and children in harm’s way because they seek our protection.

Michael

27/02/2013Much is being made of what is characterised as a desperate effort by Julia Gillard in staying over in Western Sydney (which you won't find on a map, incidentally - it's a fabricated 'whole cloth' that is far from being any sort of bloc in reality) for five days next week. Tony Abbott made his comments about this from Far North Queensland, which can be found on a map, and is equally not any sort of bloc except in the minds and lazy 'cut and paste' texts of commentators. Western Sydney. Far North Queensland. One the site of a desperate pilgrimage. The other just where Tony Abbott happened to be. Bollocks! Bob Katter's Australia Party. Heard of it? The Coalition has, big time. Bob Katter's a Far North Queensland bloke. He's started a political party to contest the next Federal election which will have a candidate standing in every seat for the House of Representatives. Every seat from those in Far North Queensland to those in Western Sydney, and every point of the compass from each point outwards, on the map or otherwise. Has anyone not seen or heard Bob Katter in full-flight? You'd have been hard-pressed to miss him when after 2010's election both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott were negotiating with the independent members to form an alliance on the passage of legislation and other actions in the House to assure the continuance of governing. You won't have spotted him in parliament much for the last 6 to 8 months as he's been flat-out forming his new party and its on the ground infrastructure. It will be a conservative party, it may well be the furthest to the Right nationwide political party in Australia. The election will very likely make it or break it, as political parties are expensive and fractious beasts without electoral representation to draw them into certain viabilities. Whatever happens at the election, Bob Katter's Australia Party will win votes. It may win a whole lot of votes, and because of its political leanings, it's likely to gather many votes from conservatively minded, Conservative-voting people. People who might otherwise have voted for the Coalition, serious voters who don't want to throw their votes at fringe parties, but want to feel that their vote directly goes to the forming of a government. Like a lot of people in Far North Queensland. Or, indeed, in the western suburbs of Sydney. People know Bob Katter's formed a political party. They think they have a fair idea of what Bob Katter stands for and does. Many might well think he's a white-hatted oddity good for a chuckle or an outright guffaw, but that's it. It isn't. He and his party may well be the largest influence on the results at the next election outside of the big two of Labor and the Coalition. Either directly or through preferences. And he may be that because everyone thinks they know what 'Bob Katter' is, and no-one is watching. Except perhaps a Coalition that knows exactly who Bob Katter appeals to. A whole lot of the Coalition's supposed 'natural' constituency. So, when Abbott had something to say about Julia Gillard going to Western Sydney, and he said it from Far North Queensland... He was already doing his own 'Western Sydney' pilgrimage.

Keith D

27/02/2013Ad, sorry for the late reply. I'm using Windows live Mail, and the disseminate button does nothing. Tried again with Chrome as browser with the same result. It's probably some setting wrong on my computer?

Pikiranku

27/02/2013TT Sorry about the silence on the Adelaide lunch, I was actually waiting for you to announce an exact date. We'd love to come over but can't make it the first week in March, but if it's after that we'll be there. It would be great to spend some time with some like-minded people (they're a bit scarce in Yorketown!) and I have a good crow story for you. Cheers,

Crowey

27/02/2013It would be interesting to know just how much taxpayer dollars Tony Abbott has spent on his continuous trips around Australia.

Michael

27/02/2013Crowey, hi. We don't know, day to day, how much Abbott spends of taxpayers' dollars pursuing his party political ends traveling around the country, but he we do know he claims the highest expenses of anyone out of government. Here you'll find an overview of the cost to the nation Shouldabeen PM Abbott racks up, and he hasn't even had a chance to do a Howard on the wine cellar at Kirribilli House yet: http://www.phonytonyabbott.com/blog/tony-abbott-and-his-extravagant-expenses And here's just one example of Abbott's expenses and arrogance combined, a charge for for business cards introducing himself as Prime Minister of Australia: http://www.newsflip.org/2013/02/abbott-claimed-expenses-for-pm-business.html Oh heck, this second site was satirical. And yet, it rings so true. I wonder why? Maybe because he is on record as making verbal invitations to the Canberra Press Gallery to join him in The Lodge for drinks "this Christmas" after the 2010 election? Show this bum the door, and present him with a bill on the way out!

LadyInRed

27/02/2013Michael Very good point. Lazy one track mind journo's though, who by the way have not finished punishing the PM for not playing by the books when calling an election and then (my goodness wait for it) annouced some resignations that had nothing to do with the lection date....but I digress. These supposedly widely ecperienced journo's see nothing odd in TAbbott popping off to far north Queensland.....well I do. I have a feeling TAbbott might just pop by our electorate of Wide Bay one day soon for the same reason. Believe me if he pops into Wide Bay or Bundaberg then you know somethings worrying him. Glorified gossip columnists.

2353

27/02/2013Michael, The news I saw last night had Abbott having a go at the Prime Minister from Rockhampton. Rocky may be a lot of things but is certainly not in Far North Queensland. The town only makes it into the Tropics by under 10km (despite the signage the Tropic of Capricorn actually is around the Yeppen Plains roundabout). While Katter's Party would probably have a lot of support in a beef and mining town like Rocky - Katter actually comes from Charters Towers and further west. Charters Towers (Charlies Trousers to those that have lived in North Queensland) is basically west of Townsville. Abbott's "marketing effort" is around 1000 km too far south!

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27/02/2013Folks Sir Ian Crisp has quoted from a piece that I wrote in 2009 when Kevin Rudd was PM: [i]Why is our PM so popular[/i]. He chose to report just the first paragraph: [i]“Another Newspoll today, the Essential Research Report yesterday, Morgan last Friday and ACNielsen last Monday, all give the same message – the Rudd Government is very popular and the PM enjoys high approval and high preferred PM ratings. Today’s Newspoll has the 2PP back at the February levels of 58/42. Satisfaction with Kevin Rudd is 68% and dissatisfaction 21%, a positive gap of 47 percentage points. He is the preferred PM by 67 to 18, a 49 point gap. All these are the best figures for this year and close to the best ever. Essential Research, which uses a methodology different from the others, has 2PP at the improbable level of 63/37 two weeks in a row. Morgan has the figure at 61/39.and ACNielsen at 58/42 with PPM at 69/24 and Rudd satisfaction/dissatisfaction at 74/22. All these are remarkably consistent, albeit with a few quite stratospheric 2PP levels. Possum’s Pollytrack aggregate figures are around 60/40, and Pollytrend is steadily edging up in Labor’s favour.”[/i] He did not report the following paragraphs: [i]”Even the most sceptical, even the most rabid Government opponents, cannot deny the figures and the trend. So they take refuge in the touching belief that the people polled are sleepwalking, blind to the gross incompetence of the Government and the fatal flaws in its leader. They await the great awakening when the scales will fall from the people’s eyes, when they will realize what an awful mistake they have made, and restore the Coalition to its rightful place at the seat of power. "Now we all know that such high ratings cannot continue indefinitely, if they did until election day the Coalition would be reduced to just a handful of seats. That won’t happen. We know that, especially in the midst of an economic crisis, governments have to take unpopular decisions that will alienate some of the voters, and are bound to make moves that will upset others. In the upcoming budget, it is likely that some middle class welfare will be pared back and the tax benefits that benefit the wealthy curtailed. Taking benefits away upsets people. There is likely to be union unrest as union power is restricted by the new IR legislation, and businessmen may react adversely. The ABCC is still a bone of union contention. The introduction of the CPRS during these times of financial distress will infuriate many. As unemployment rises, with some out of work for long periods, anger will be fermented and it will be the Government that will inevitably be the target of that anger. Decisions about foreign investment, especially China’s bid for mineral resources, will upset some. Today’s Newspoll shows that by almost two to one voters oppose such investment. So the Government and Rudd himself may need the high base of support they now enjoy as a counter to the erosion of support that seems inevitable over time. "Commentators continue to express amazement that the Government’s popularity has remained so high for so long. Why is this so?”[/i] The point of the article was to explore Rudd’s then popularity, as expressed in the polls, not to predict election results. You can read it all at: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2009/04/07/Why-is-our-PM-so-popular.aspx This give me an opportunity to repeat two points: [b]Sky high polls do not last. Single polls, to use Andrew Catsaras’ words: “are but a shadowy reflection of the past”. They are not predictive. Nowhere in that article was it suggested that they were. Ridiculously high polls might excite the party that is favoured by them, but to use them to say that the other party would be all but wiped out ‘were an election to be held today’, even a year out from an election, is so farcical that only those wanting to inflict damage on the less favoured party would use those words. Yet, we see this EVERY time a poll comes out. Why? You know the answer. The second point is that despite these unrealistically high polls in April 2009, as high as an unbelievable TPP of 63/37 in favour of Labor, by August 2010 the actual election results were: Labor 50.12, Coalition 49.88. Now every one knows that many things happened in that period. But polls ALWAYS narrow as the election approaches. The question is: how much will they narrow by September 14?[/b]

2353

27/02/2013There has been some discussion here in the past on the same gender (to get around auto-censoring) marriage. Well there is an interesting development in the USA. http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/02/ken-mehlmans-republican-gay-marriage-mission.html [quote]The news, on the front page of the Times this morning, that dozens of leading Republicans had signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the case of Proposition 8, the California gay-marriage ban, merited the A1 treatment that it received. Despite their party and their own past positions, Jon Huntsman, Meg Whitman, Ken Duberstein, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and others said that they supported a Constitutional right to same-s*x marriage. [/quote]

MWS

27/02/2013Thanks for the links to the delimiter article, Lyn. I particularly enjoyed the Scott Adams ("Dilbert" cartoonist): [quote]"Reporters are faced with the daily choice of painstakingly researching stories or writing whatever people tell them. Both approaches pay the same."[/quote] For those who haven't experienced "Dilbert", it's well worth a look: www.dilbert.com Delimiter piece: http://delimiter.com.au/2013/02/26/the-fttn-truth-the-coalition-does-not-want-known/

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27/02/2013Michael Your analysis is interesting. Why is the MSM not characterising Tony Abbott’s visit to North Queensland as shoring up his vote against Australia’s Katter Party as they characterise PM Gillard's visit to Western Sydney?

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27/02/2013Folks I have consulted Web Monkey about the problem some of you have had using ‘Disseminate this post’, and he has made some adjustments to the underlying code. If any of you still have trouble, please let me know precisely what difficulty you are having, and what email client you are using.

MWS

27/02/2013Sorry, add "quote" to the end of the second sentence of my previous comment.

Keith D

27/02/2013Whatever you guys did it worked for me, Ad. Consider it disseminated.

DMW

27/02/2013:P [tongue in cheek alert on] When I click on [i]Disseminate this post [/i] am I practising artificial dissemination? [tongue in cheek alert off]

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27/02/2013MWS What a great article by Renai LeMay in [i]Delimiter: The FTTN truth the Coalition does not want known[/i]. Essential reading, as will be Nick Ross' opus. I have bookmarked it for reference.

LadyInRed

27/02/2013Ad disseminate put Warren Truss in as a cc? Lucky I saw it and so he isn't getting a copy. So TAbbott not up in QLD because of Katter he's up there trying to get the seat off Labors Kirsten Livermore. http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/punters-back-landry-capricornia-federal-election/1768107/ I'm guessing in the photo TAbbott is the one on the left not in the picture?

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27/02/2013LadyinRed Warren Truss would have been Cc'd because you identified him as you local member. You were smart enough to delete him. I presume 'Disseminate this post' worked this time.

KHTAGH

27/02/2013After a week or so of this constant denigration of the PM, I'm starting to wonder, as has been stated by a few here already. Are the LNP worried that Julia will do them like a dinner. We know TA can't handle scrutiny at all, suffers from constant foot in mouth disease, is now hiding from his press crews. Are they trying to have the Ruddstoration because they know they can do him like a dinner?. That Julia might be able to pull the women vote like never been seen before?. Do the Lieberals now realise that to keep up the frenetic pace they have leaped from the blocks with is unsustainable without policies (their worst nightmare), hence the calls for "Election now!". Julia is a stayer, TA is a sprinter, all arms & left legs with a lip flapping overtone, then collapses in a quivering heap. He won't last the distance without a MAJOR stuff-up. I feel this is why she announced the election date when she did. Julia knew that TA would step up his efforts as much as he could allowing him more time to do what he finds so natural, tripping over his own bottom lip. I have to concede I have felt a bit down about the whole thing (media manipulation) in the last week or so. It just seems so unfair to have it done so blatantly, like they think we are so dumb. Ltd news papers being given away at supermarkets now because they wont sell. Murdoch has to get his propaganda out at any cost. After reading all the link our lovely ♥♥Lyn♥♥ has supplied to us over the last few days I'm feeling a bit more upbeat about our chances. This is going to be one mother of a fight all nails & blood. The ALP could use her speech as a great advertisement if they use their brains. AA I too liked the the depth of the posts from Lyn today Renai LeMay was exceptional. Oh dear off to the dentist in the morning with a pocket full of $'s, Chinese dinner time "tooth hurty".

KHTAGH

27/02/2013Anyone got any face hair you want removed, its about to be singed off. Warning offensive words used. http://thehoopla.com.au/cunt-there-it/

Pikiranku

27/02/2013A good article by Stephen Koukoulas here: http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/2340-a-letter-to-the-people-of-western-sydney Although I wonder why people need to be told that they're actually well off. It's another one of those parallel universe situations - there's all these struggling Aussie battlers doing it tough; and then there's the rest of the world, most of which survives on a fraction of what we have.

TalkTurkey

27/02/2013Crowey I'm so glad to see you writing here again, I did beat up on myself for getting you wrong, I'm just very defensive of this site and I thought you were playing nasty games. I guess you already know that because you said you read TPS often and I've said so before. I've got a bit tetchy and abrasive on Twitter I fear, ah well, those of good heart forgive the odd mistake. Pikiranku I took some stereo (3D) shots of our local beach-suburb crows the other day. We give them a bit of meat. They are still shy, they are forever outcast birds because they are black and they say AAAAAAARRRRRK! Well I like them a lot anyway. I identify with them a good bit I tell you. Yorketown! My Dad's family came from Yorketown! Seven of 'em! Walter Jessie Chubby Mardy Neil~(Dad) Elsie Sammy! Uncle Sammy used to live out on the Warooka Road, + corner where you turn left to go to Moorowie and McEachern's Beach named after one of my family (on the female side.) You would most certainly know the old house there. Windmill across the road. As kids we often holidayed there. Do you remember the smell of Roberts's piggery? :( ! Oh and the Dip Corner where I nearly shot my cousin Len when he stood up when I'd just SAID [i]"Don't stand up!" [/i]as I was about to shoot a rabbit. There I was with his dumb red head right in my sights - and Dad's .22 had no second trigger pressure! My legs went to water and I think the rabbit probably got off. Ah the fun we had killing things over there. Well only rabbits and a fox now and again, and fish of course, but we were conservationists of Australian fauna and flora from the first. J**** & I just circumnavigated (by road in my comfy van) the whole of Yorke Peninsula, only weekend before last, starting at the beautiful Port Victoria, so bloody hot though! We came home a day early. Anyway can't give you a date but I did say, Monday March 11 through Thursday 14 or possibly [i]Friday 15, the Ides of March[/i]. Those are the only possible dates for this particular meeting as one of the 2 others apart from moi ends her visit then. ♥♥

TalkTurkey

27/02/2013Oh Yeah I meant to say Grasshopper, I stole your heart! 'Cos I'm not smart enough to know how you do that, so I just cut and pasted it.

2353

27/02/2013DMW - groan for what my kids would call another bad dad joke. Knee High - you might be on to something. Perhaps the trend in internal LNP discussions is that the Prime Minister is going to be hard to beat, so with a bit of assistance the push is on to install someone they have a lot of dirt on (most dumped by the ALP itself I might add) to make Abbott's job easier. That they are effectively hiding him (and admitting it) 7 months out from an election shows they have concerns.

ian

27/02/2013Amidst all of the faff and froth, the spittle enraged vitriol and the poisonous ranting of the right wing broadcasters and trolls. One truth is ignored. A woman, subject to years of vicious derision, vilified beyond the sane, contemptible sly insults, dark,degrading drawings that were dragged from depths of hell none would wish to see or visit let alone live in, is going to face those who claim to hate her. I hope she does not validate their hatred by asking ' Why? '. To do that would be to afford them a true dignity they would neither understand or earn. Leave them to have their angst massaged, manipulated and used by those who want them to hate. Many will listen, think and reserve their decision. Listening and thinking. The two words that the hate broadcasters fear. They know that the subtle reinforcement of the messages of hate are, when subject to rational thought, seen to be the poison that they are. When that happens it's all over for them. Julia Gillards visit to Western Sydney may just be the start.

42 long

27/02/2013Listened in to the senate this afternoon. Her visit must have them worried because a lot of effort was put in to deride her. All pretty inane a low anti intelligent stuff. Not very likely to make australians proud. She doesn't lack guts, contrasting to the Run R Abbot Run antics of the LOTO. She cannot expect any support from the Abbott worshipping, MSM and the shockjocks. I believe the shockjocks are the main reason for the "attitude" of the Hillard haters in the west of Sydney. If she dropped dead they would accuse her of pulling a stunt to get attention or something equally the product of a deranged mind.. I used to listen to those stations just to get an idea of what is happening but can't stand it, but the residents seem to believe that Utterly revolting Jones is doing it for the "battlers". Contrary view put to those who have come under the "spell" are headshakes and instant denial of anything but their entrenched concepts, hate and bias. How wellthey have been indoctinated... The LNP's methodology/tactics of divisivenes, misinformation,fear mongering and hate is an utterly obnoxious and gutless act. It is "workplace" bullying where people are likely to just come out of the blue and treat her in a totally unseemingly fashion. The idea is to bring out the worst in people and use it. When anything like it goes back on "Tones the Precious" Howls of indignation from the the rightists, but it's OK to call Gillard everything under the sun and stand in front of posters that should have been the shame of Australia. They are there for posterity to judge.

KHTAGH

27/02/2013TT Feel free I cut & paste too, easier than using the code, I like 🙊 mad monk 🙊 too or Abbott's policy 🐥💨” Anyone else feel free, not mine to start with.

KHTAGH

27/02/201342 long While reading your post something struck me, Julia is doing exactly what LOTO refuses to do, face his worst fear, face the press or do any long form interviews other than manufactured door stops & visit friends in WA, Old. Another school bully boy tactic stand around with mates on safe territory & throw shit at anyone they don't like.

KHTAGH

27/02/2013Most interesting considering the recent posts. http://www.financeminister.gov.au/media/2013/mr-264-13.html

42 long

27/02/2013Didn't Albo say " in your guts , you KNOW he's nuts". Should be, "in your guts you know he's GUTLESS". He puts the bloodhounds into anyone who is in his way. "Lawyers, compliant media) rent a crowd full of hate etc" and runs away from interviews. Amazing stuff really. This man is not a MAN at all. He's a poser. Made of straw with feet of clay. Smear and not fact. Can't be pinned down on anything. Surely the LIENP won't embarrass us to the entire world by making this person the PM of the country. Worse than McMahon. Another big ears. but He was relatively harmless. This one is positively dangerous. This joke has gone far enough. you've had your fun. Let's deal with reality.

DMW

27/02/20132353 most 'umble apologies in future I shall use [utterly appalling #dadjoke warning on] :)

Catching up

27/02/2013Listening to the uproar in the senate today, one would think the PM has ever been out in western Sydney. I believe in reality, she did the same in SA last week. Is she really doing anything new or different. The PM has regular cabinet meetings all over the country. They are generally accompanied by other events at the same time. I believe they might be afraid if people get to meet her, they might get to like her. We cannot have that. Thanks to the media beat up, I am sure it will take guts, because I am certain the Libs will have a welcome committee. Lets hope they overreach as usual. Even the ABC local radio 702 is going to either Penrith or Blacktown for the day.

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27/02/2013Folks I have just now posted: [i]Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey, stop killing confidence.[/i] http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2013/02/27/Tony-Abbott-Joe-Hockey-stop-killing-confidence.aspx

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27/02/2013Piriranku That was a great article by Stephen Koukoulas, one that demonstrates that all the whinging about hard times is a matter of perception, not the reality of life in this country. And who is responsible for much of this perception - Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey - as the next piece asserts.
I have two politicians and add 17 clowns and 14 chimpanzees; how many clowns are there?