Day to Day Politics: Something very weird about last week
Monday June 11 2018
There was something very odd about last week. It had an eery quietness about it that was disturbing. “Politicians this quiet!”, I thought to myself. Then I thought it might have been the fact that the Coalition had a week without a scandal of sorts. An oddity in itself.
That it went by without as much as a comment was surprising. It was worthy of a headline at least. Then it hit me with all the hostile silence of a calm before the storm.
It had the air of election about it. No I don’t mean the five July by-elections. This was definitely the odor of the big one.
I was sensing a firming up of a September election. A date that I have been predicting for six months or more. It just had that suggestion of spring in the political atmosphere.
Then I stumbled upon a piece by Mark Kenny in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald that sort of confirmed my rather glib feelings. “Sooner the better,” I thought to myself as the slightest feeling of sanguinity swept through me.
According to Kenny, or rather, sources confirm (how I dislike that phrase), that the:
“Opposition has recently stepped up its internal processes for completing policy documents, finalising candidates, and mapping out its media buys.”
An observation
“The right to vote is the gift that democracy gives. If a political party is not transparent in supplying all the information necessary to exercise this right it is destroying the very democracy that enables it to exist.”
My take on it is that besides September the longer Turnbull waits the less advantageous are his choices of surprise.
If the Coalition were to improve their vote, even win one or more of the Labor held Super Saturday seats then it is more than likely that Turnbull would take a ride to Yarralumla.
It would of course mean that the good voters of Mayo (SA), Longman (Qld), Braddon (Tas), Perth (WA), and Fremantle (WA) would go back to the ballot box in after just having voted two months previously leaving Turnbull to answer the question of why the elections could not have been held concurrently.
Whilst it would mean a double back flip with pike by Turnbull the angst would be short lived.
The unnamed sources that Kenny subscribes too also suggest that the economics are turning back to the Coalition:
“Economic growth of 1 per cent last quarter putting growth over the year to March at 3.1 per cent – well ahead of the 2.75 per cent budget prediction, was the government’s best news since its near-death 2016 win. Allied with record jobs growth and rising company profits, the expanding economy reinforces the Coalition’s “jobs and growth” message.”
It is this part of Kenny’s assessment that I take exception with. It well maybe that the Government now has a viable economic message to put to the people but it is one to which the opposition has a counter argument at every turn. One that I will argue in tomorrow’s Day to Day.
My thought for the Day
“Just because we are governed by clowns it doesn’t mean we have to laugh.”
13 comments
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Lawrence Winder @shanewombat)
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wam
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Peter F
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Terence Mills
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Kronomex
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Chris Rand
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helvityni
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johno
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Kronomex
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Meg
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Glenn Barry
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Florence Howarth
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New England Cocky
Return to home pageIt’s getting difficult to separate the stench of corruption from the sheer funk of this mongrel lot.
WOW, mr lord, pretty clear who is laughing and why?
Sadly it is too late for labor to take any economic ground. Sadder is the july election may be poor for labor. That will send trumble to the GG and us to the polls and the trauma of a couple of PHON seats. Let’s hope my pessimistic assessment is wrong and bill can find a cake?
The B and V public spending looks interesting? When a pollie says ‘I have done nothing wrong’ it usually means there is a problem?
ps
Your strength of purpose is strong, mr lord, still nothing on Singapore or G8, oops no Russia yet, G7?
pps
Keep fit and strong
With all the young people enrolling for the ‘plebiscite’, the government could be in for quite a surprise in the bye-elections
Mayo could be of particular interest to see if the electors there will accept the enforcement of the Downer dynasty with Georgina fresh out of IPA indoctrination.
A ReachTEL poll of 1031 voters shows Rebekha Sharkie has a 58-42 lead over Downer on a two-party preferred basis. That’s quite a lead and shows that Sharkie has made an impact on the electorate.
Notice to all photographers: When approaching The Beetroot, or you are hiding behind trees, posts,etc, make sure that you prominently display a bundle of $50.00 notes. This will pretty much guarantee that his greed will outweigh everything else.
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/barnaby-joyce-addresses-altercation-with-photographer-150k-seven-interview/news-story/87314b547978ea1b5b7c57b566953889
“Mr Joyce also claimed he didn’t want to do the interview with Seven’s Sunday Night last weekend, but thought it would “be a circuit breaker”.”
What a f–king greedy wanker! The six month wait was no doubt driven by making sure he could get the biggest amount of money he could for his “interview”.
I would hope Terence, that a number of locals will have noticed that A true local, Major Sumner is standing in Mayo, for the greens. After bloody Sharkie costing me every week for her meddling in the local bus services (not bad for a federal politician) I really hope the electorate has finally had enough of the right wing politicians for a while
Kronomex, dear Barnaby was so persistent in wanting to know the name of the photographer; perhaps he just wanted to be friendly….?
If I remember right, he used to be our Deputy PM, the mind boggles…
@Chris, well said,… Major Sumner is more local than local.
Why is she apologising for stating the obvious –
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jun/10/a-fox-news-host-has-accidentally-referred-to-the-highly-anticipated-summit-between-president-donald-trump-and-north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-as-a-meeting-of-two-dictators
I’m also hoping that Sharkie can retake Mayo and leave mayo on Downers face.
I feel sick – the trash that Merdeoooch press is today peddling about our beloved Bob Ellis. I’m not providing a link. His poor family must be devastated at these harpies sullying his name yet again, when he is no longer here to defend himself
Someone on facebook quipped – they keep rolling out Old Rigourmortis (Howard) to bolster their economic management credentials – the retort is this
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/dunlop-the-myth-of-coalition-economic-management/6308704
Why do the LNP even have a chance on the mantra of economic management, Co. profits up – wages growth still at historic lows – the F’ing media still not doing their jobs and it’s infuriating me.
When clowns are in charge, laughing is the one thing we can’t afford. I have been waiting since Christmas for the polls to take off favouring one side or the other. Was a slight move towards the government, but failed to get any stream up.
We have seen constant polls since Abbott’s very short, nearly non-existent honeymoon, the short period of the last election towards the government. Don’t recall Turnbull having a honeymoon at all. Outside these times has consistently favoured Labor.
This has to be unusual. Is there going to be a takeoff? I am starting to think the answer is no. My only conclusion is the people have made their minds up years ago. Definitely not listening to the government.
Yet the government persists putting in place it’s neoliberal programme. The only strategy seems to be KillBill. Can’t work if people are not listening.
Ignoring the fact that Shorten is quietly putting out an agenda of policies, transparent policies with details. Making himself a very big target. Laying down the difference between government & opposition.
Still, time for the polls to take off.
I am advised that the Super Saturday bye-elections were held on the last date available BEFORE a general election was required as an alternative to frustrate the ALP National Conference. If that is the case, then combined with your “quiet week” observations we may soon be able to rid Australia of these terrible self-serving fascist egomaniacs infesting Canberra and impeding economic development in Australia for the benefit of foreign owned multinational corporations and their overseas shareholders.