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Oz Election Thread #4 - Gillard's Labor

 
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Sep, 2012 05:27 pm
@hingehead,
A lot of media discussion this week about David Maher's Good Weekend (Age, SMH, etc) article on Tony Abbott ....
With a number of his supporters crying foul.
One right wing think-tank person (whose name escapes me at the minute) went so far as to complain bitterly that the Fairfax papers were running an anti-Abbott "campaign" on ABC radio yesterday. What relevance did his behaviour at Sydney University 30 years ago have to do with now, he asked?
When it was pointed out to him that the Australian (Murdoch press) had run a spirited (front page for days) campaign, demanding details about Julia Gillard's time as a lawyer in Melbourne ... from quite a while ago, too .... he thought that the questions about Gillard's character were fair enough, but the questions about Abbott's character weren't. Neutral

Anyway here's Dyson's comment on Abbott's time at Sydney Uni.:

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/14/3636494/1508jh_op_729_dyson-420x0.jpg

Tandberg's comment:

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/14/3636492/1509jh_op_353_tandberg-300x0.jpg

Extract from David Maher's article:

Quote:
..he went into the university election season and lost - to a woman - his campaign for the presidency of the SRC.

Barbara Ramjan beat him hands down. She was of the left but her work as the SRC's welfare officer made her a popular figure on the campus. The night her victory was declared, the SRC offices saw wild scenes of bad-boy behaviour: flashing, mooning, jeering and abuse. Abbott watched all this. His loss was a very public disappointment. He approached Ramjan. She thought he was coming over to congratulate her. "But no, that's not what he wanted," she recalls. "He came up to within an inch of my nose and punched the wall on either side of my head." Thirty-five years later she recalls with cold disdain what he did. "It was done to intimi­date." Abbott tells me ( Maher) he has no recollection of the incident: "It would be profoundly out of character had it occurred." ....


http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/early-elections-20120903-2593o.html#ixzz262vsccBI

.
0 Replies
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 06:32 pm
Today's AGE/Neilson Poll results.
For what they're worth ...

Interestingly, Michelle Grattan has chosen to focus on Kevin Rudd (again!) in her analysis ... is she his campaign manager? I've often thought so. Wink

But anyway, Labor is "cautions" about these results, the LNP doesn't buy them. But I have this sneaking feeling that Tony Abbott might not be quite as confident about his leadership of the coalition. Stay tuned for further polls!


Quote:
10:07AM Monday Sep 17, 2012

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/16/3640174/1709-voters-view-729x410-620x349.gif

*PREFERENCES FOR AREA AND AGE WERE ALLOCATED BY HOW PREFERENCES FLOWED NATIONALLY AND BY STATE IN 2010 ELECTION. ALL FIGURES ARE IN PERCENTAGES. THE ACNIELSEN/AGE POLL IS CONDUCTED ON THE TELEPHONE NATIONWIDE. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED ON SEPTEMBER 13 - 15 WITH 1400 ELECTORS. THE MAXIMUM MARGIN OF ERROR TO APPLY TO THIS SAMPLE IS APPROXIMATELY 2.6%. UNCOMMITTED VOTERS (4%) WERE REDISTRIBUTED. FIGURES MAY NOT ADD TO 100% DUE TO ROUNDING.

*PREFERENCES FOR AREA AND AGE WERE ALLOCATED BY HOW PREFERENCES FLOWED NATIONALLY AND BY STATE IN 2010 ELECTION. ALL FIGURES ARE IN PERCENTAGES. THE ACNIELSEN/AGE POLL IS CONDUCTED ON THE TELEPHONE NATIONWIDE. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED ON SEPTEMBER 13 - 15 WITH 1400 ELECTORS. THE MAXIMUM MARGIN OF ERROR TO APPLY TO THIS SAMPLE IS APPROXIMATELY 2.6%. UNCOMMITTED VOTERS (4%) WERE REDISTRIBUTED. FIGURES MAY NOT ADD TO 100% DUE TO ROUNDING.


Labor cautious about polls, Coalition dismissive

LABOR'S primary vote and Julia Gillard's approval are continuing to improve, although switching to Kevin Rudd could turn the government's current prospect of defeat into the chance of victory, according to the Age/Nielsen poll.

Tony Abbott's approval has fallen 3 percentage points to a record low of 36 per cent as controversy has raged about his character, but the opposition would still get a 3 per cent swing for a comfortable win in an election held now. The Coalition is on a two-party vote of 53 per cent, down 1 point in three weeks, to Labor's 47 per cent, up a point.

Ms Gillard leads Mr Abbott as preferred PM by 3 points: she is on 47 per cent (up 1 point) while Mr Abbott is on 44 per cent (down 1). In an important finding in light of claims about Mr Abbott having problems with women and an allegation of intimidatory behaviour towards a fellow student in 1977, he is 12 points behind as preferred PM among women, but leads by 5 points among men.

While the results generally are good for Ms Gillard, marking a change in political mood as the debate swings off the carbon tax and on to the PM's positive agenda, the comparison with what might happen if Mr Rudd was reinstated will be used by the increasingly active Rudd camp as it steps up its agitation for change.

Labor's primary vote has increased 2 points to 34 per cent in the poll of 1400 taken Thursday to Saturday, in the wake of Ms Gillard's absence from the public stage after the death of her father. The ALP vote has risen steadily by about 2 points a month over the past four months - a total of 8 points from 26 per cent to 34 per cent. The Coalition remains on 45 per cent; its primary vote has fallen 4 points since early May.

The Greens are down 1 point to 10 per cent, which is a fall of 4 points since early June.

The PM's approval has risen 3 points to 42 per cent; her disapproval, on 53 per cent, is down 4 points. She has a net approval of minus 11, which is 7 points better than last month. This is her highest approval and lowest disapproval since May 2011.

Disapproval of Mr Abbott has risen by 2 points to 59 per cent, a new personal high. His net approval has worsened by 5 points to minus 23 per cent, a new personal low and the lowest for an opposition leader since August 2009, shortly before Malcolm Turnbull lost the job.

Since early June, Ms Gillard has substantially narrowed Mr Rudd's lead as preferred Labor leader, while fewer people than before think the ALP should change leaders. ..... <cont>


Gillard continues her rise:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-continues-her-rise-20120916-260ms.html

....
msolga
 
  2  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 07:18 pm
@msolga,
update on responses to the age/Neilson poll:

Quote:
Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne said the polls were a result of a Labor campaign of personal attacks and vilification.

"The Labor Party has spent the last two weeks and the better part of the last few months demonising Tony Abbott," he told ABC television. "They want to destroy his character."

Oh-my-goodness!
Personal attacks and vilification of Tony Abbott!
How unfair!
Oh the hypocrisy.
Unbelievable! Laughing

Quote:
Mr Pyne was adamant the Nielsen poll result, which showed twice as many voters prefer Malcolm Turnbull to Mr Abbott as leader, would "absolutely not" prompt any leadership tensions.

Hmmmm ... we shall see.
Depends on how Rupert sees things, I guess?

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/labor-cautious-about-polls-coalition-dismissive-20120917-26155.html
hingehead
 
  2  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 09:29 pm
@msolga,
Bit of glass jaw action in the Abbott camp?

#qanda should be interesting tonight with Greg Sheridan no doubt being questioned by pinkos about his response to this
http://www.scribd.com/doc/106098331/As-You-Are-Probably-Aware

msolga
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 10:11 pm
@hingehead,
Quote:
#qanda should be interesting tonight with Greg Sheridan no doubt being questioned by pinkos about his response to this
http://www.scribd.com/doc/106098331/As-You-Are-Probably-Aware

Aunty? Totalitarian? Surprised Razz

Where did that come from?
What's Sheridan up to? Confused
msolga
 
  2  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 10:31 pm
@msolga,
Did he or didn't he?
This story won't go away.
It's a bit like a re-run of 1977 uni student politics!
Everyone who was anyone has to have their say!
This opinion piece was posted by Robert Manne in the AGE today.
He is obviously not a friend of Abbott, Henderson & Sheridan! And disputes their versions of their good buddy "Abbo"'s behaviour !

I know it's silly, but I can't help it. I find it all kinda fascinating in a weird & twisted sort of way!
I want to hear from Costello! Wink
And I didn't know that Sheridan was associated with the National Civic Council. No surprise with Henderson, though ...
Well, well, well ...

Quote:
Tony Abbott and his cheer squad deny ''The Punch'' ever happened. But their case is flawed.

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/16/3639792/EBL-art353-tony-abbott-20120916184521625654-300x0.jpg
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott addresses media questions about his time in university politics after visiting the Ainslie shopping centre in Canberra on Friday, 14 September. Photo: Andrew Meares

IN HIS new Quarterly Essay on Tony Abbott, ''Political Animal'', journalist David Marr records an alleged incident that took place at Sydney University in 1977. Abbott was at the time a campus operative of a party linked to B.A. Santamaria's conservative Catholic National Civic Council. He lost the election for Student Representative Council president to Barbara Ramjan. Ramjan told Marr that an infuriated Abbott ''came up to within an inch of my nose and punched the wall on either side of my head … It was done to intimidate.''

In his interview with Marr, Abbott said he had no memory of the incident. Last Friday, he went much further, telling Channel Nine's Karl Stefanovic that he was absolutely certain that the event ''never happened''.

Abbott has already been particularly staunchly defended by two senior journalists, Gerard Henderson and Greg Sheridan. Both were once associates of the National Civic Council. On Tuesday, Henderson argued in The Sydney Morning Herald that if Abbott had done what Ramjan claimed, it would certainly be a serious ''intimidatory gesture''. The trouble was that there was no reason to believe that the incident had occurred. Marr's story was based solely on ''an aggrieved person's'' 35-year-old false memory. There were, Henderson pronounced, ''no witnesses''.

On the same day, Sheridan, who was in 1977 Abbott's closest friend, described the Marr story as nothing but politically motivated slander. ''Marr is wrong,'' he wrote in The Australian. ''And this mistake reflects his overall sloppiness as a journalist, failure as a historian and distorting bias as a polemicist.'' Soon after, Sheridan described the essay and its reception as ''the most disgraceful, sectarian, anti-Catholic campaign'' he had ever seen.
Advertisement

On Wednesday the case mounted by Abbott's defenders began to crumble. David Patch, a barrister and former judicial registrar of the Industrial Relations Court, published a refutation of Henderson in The Age. In 1977 he was Ramjan's campaign manager. Patch claimed that although he did not witness the incident reported by Marr, he did speak with Ramjan moments after it took place. ''She is a small woman … She was very shaken, scared and angry. She told me Abbott had come up to her, put his face in her face, and punched the wall on either side of her head.'' ....<cont>


Sparring in the ring of truth:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/sparring-in-the-ring-of-truth-20120916-260d0.html

...
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Sep, 2012 11:00 pm
@msolga,
A second heartening poll result for Labor today, this one's from Newspoll (the Australian):

Quote:
Voter support for Labor and the Prime Minister has dramatically improved, with one new opinion poll showing the Government is now level pegging with the Coalition after preferences.

According to the Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper today, Labor's primary vote has risen to 36 per cent - its highest level since March last year.

That compares with a four-point drop in support for the Coalition, which now sits at 41 per cent.
Audio: Poll puts spring in Labor's step (AM)

There has also been a significant improvement in voters' satisfaction with Julia Gillard's performance over the last fortnight, with the Newspoll recording a five-point increase to 36 per cent.

When compared with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Ms Gillard now has a 14-point lead in the preferred Prime Minister stakes - up from a one-point lead just two weeks ago.

And the ALP has pulled level with the Coalition in the two-party preferred standings, gaining five points to 50 per cent.

A second opinion poll published in Fairfax newspapers confirms the gap between Labor and the Coalition has narrowed, although the Coalition retains a six-point lead after preferences.


Big boosts for Gillard, Labor in latest Newspoll:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-17/big-boost-for-gillard-in-latest-newspoll/4264478
.
0 Replies
 
hingehead
 
  2  
Reply Mon 17 Sep, 2012 12:13 am
@msolga,
You know it's not so much the act that disturbs me, it's the way Abbott has (not) handled it. And for two 'journalists' to stridently defend him without facts.

Abbott brought up the Labor Dirt Unit story again (remember last June? http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2012/s3526890.htm)

On the insiders on Sunday
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2012/s3591076.htm
The fact that he ended a press conference because Karen Middleton kept asking him if he would deny any of his staff do the very thing he accuses the 'dirt unit' of doing does make you think he knows he performs badly off the cuff.

msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Sep, 2012 12:58 am
@hingehead,
As the Insiders panel implied, Abbott & his lot can dish it out, but can't cop it when the plow torch is aimed at him. Just a tiny bit. Just for a change.

Frankly, I think he's had such an incredibly easy ride for so long, courtesy of Murdoch's papers & the shock jocks, he can't quite comprehend this strange turn of events. I mean, this is not supposed to be part of the script, is it?
And now that those aggressive tactics are (finally!!!) on the nose, I think he plain doesn't know how to proceed. Can't scare people about the carbon tax or "boat people" & "illegals" anymore, & misogynist attacks are suddenly on the nose .... maybe he'll have to start talking about policies for a change?

As for Labor's so called "dirt unit" .... streuth, fair suck of the sauce bottle! Wink Nothing can compare with what was actually done to Peter Slipper . Outrageous. (& yes I know he's not a saint, but ...), & nothing can compare to the way those disgusting attack dogs have treated Gillard ....
The interesting thing is that Gillard coped so much better, while copping far worse, far more sustained provocation.

As for Greg Sheridan's diatribe about Maher's article .... unbelievable, over-blown overreaction. And "anti-Catholic"? What an absurd thing to say!
Rather Santamaria-ish, I thought. Wow. Can't quite believe he actually said those things! Doesn't do much for his credibility as a journalist, does it?
0 Replies
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Sep, 2012 01:49 am
You know, I think the Libs might actually be rattled ...
One article by David Maher, two less-than-wonderful opinion polls (but hardly total disasters .... yet Wink )... Malcolm Turnbull by far the preferred leader over Abbott (by Liberal voters) in today's poll findings ....
Interesting, very interesting ....
Watch this.
Does Christopher Pyne sound defensive or what?
And he actually mentioned (gasp) a few of the Lib's policies, for a change! Surprised
And what's a "chum bucket", exactly? Never heard the term before. Smile

Quote:
Labor resorting to chum bucket approach: Pyne

Updated 9 hours 8 minutes ago

Opposition Education spokesman Christopher Pyne tells ABC News Breakfast the latest Newspoll results have been driven by the "politics of personal denigration".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-17/labor-resorting-to-chum-bucket-approach-pyne/4264794
.
Builder
 
  2  
Reply Mon 17 Sep, 2012 02:54 am
@msolga,
Quote:
And what's a "chum bucket", exactly? Never heard the term before.


Not having seen the show, Miss Olga, I'd say that it is fishing parlance for a berley bucket. When you are "chumming" for tuna, tailor, mackeral, you are literally stirring the pot, or the chum bucket, to attract a strike. Berley, or chum, being a mixture of fish oils, starch, and fish frames.

A little like baiting the hook, without using a hook.

Hope that helps, and I do follow your posts here, and Hinge's . I just don't watch tele, or read much print media. So I'm in the dark, mostly, except for what I read here and there. Thanks again.
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Sep, 2012 02:59 am
@Builder,
pssst, Builder ....
The (video) link to Pyne's interview is in my post, just before your post. Smile

Thank you for the explanation!
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 Sep, 2012 07:46 pm
@msolga,
I just reread your post, Builder & see I misunderstood .. I thought you were having trouble with the (Pyne) link. That's not what you meant at all. Sorry, my mistake.
And thank you for those kind words, too. Smile
0 Replies
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 Sep, 2012 07:52 pm
So who is the real Tony Abbott?
Our cartoonists are still having lots of fun with with the responses ... especially the face-saving ones from his supporters.

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/17/3642198/art_w_tandberg_1809-620x349.jpg
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 Sep, 2012 07:54 pm
@msolga,
http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/18/3645249/ZAH_illo2_LN_230312-20120918202843995891-300x0.jpg
msolga
 
  3  
Reply Tue 18 Sep, 2012 07:56 pm
@msolga,
http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/18/3645270/port-moir_19sept-600x400.jpg
0 Replies
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 Sep, 2012 08:20 pm
@hingehead,
Quote:
#qanda should be interesting tonight with Greg Sheridan no doubt being questioned by pinkos about his response to this
http://www.scribd.com/doc/106098331/As-You-Are-Probably-Aware


Disappointed that Sheridan was not challenged to respond to his statements about the ABC on Q&A .... he hasn't responded to Eric Campbell's challenge on Twitter, either.
But I don't think he's exactly done wonders for his credibility as a journalist, either, so ...

I enjoyed that Q&A anyway. Unusual to see the Israel/Palestinian issue discussed so openly in the Oz media.
0 Replies
 
msolga
 
  2  
Reply Wed 19 Sep, 2012 02:04 am
How very disappointing.
I thought the vote would be much closer than this. :

Quote:
The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted against legislation that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry.

Just 42 MPs supported the private members bill put forward by Labor backbencher Stephen Jones, while 98 MPs voted against.


Sigh.
This is how MPs voted.:

Quote:
Yes votes
Mr Albanese Mr Dreyfus Mr S Jones Ms Roxon
Mr Bandt Mrs Elliot Dr M Kelly Ms Saffin
Ms Bird Ms Ellis Ms King Mr Shorten
Ms Brodtmann Mr Garrett Ms Livermore Mr Sidebottom
Mr Butler Mr Georganas Ms Macklin Mr S Smith
Mr Champion Mr Gibbons Mr Marles Ms Smyth
Mr Cheeseman Mr Gray Mr Oakeshott Mr Snowdon
Mr Clare Ms Grierson Ms Parke Mr C Thomson
Ms Collins Mr Griffin Mr Perrett Mr Wilkie
Mr Combet Ms Hall Ms Plibersek Mr Crean
Mr Jenkins Ms Rishworth

No votes
Mr Abbott Mr Entsch Mr McCormack Mr Rudd
Mr Adams Mr Fitzgibbon Mr Macfarlane Mr Ruddock
Mr Alexander Mr Fletcher Ms Marino Mr Schultz
Mr K Andrews Mr Forrest Mrs Markus Mr Scott
Ms K Andrews Mr Frydenberg Mr Matheson Mr Secker
Mr Baldwin Ms Gambaro Mr Melham Mr A Smith
Mr Billson Mrs Gash Mrs Mirabella Mr Somlyay
Ms B Bishop Ms Gillard Mr Morrison Dr Southcott
Ms J Bishop Mrs Griggs Mrs Moylan Dr Stone
Mr Bowen Mr Hartsuyker Mr Murphy Mr Swan
Mr Bradbury Mr A Hawke Mr Neumann Mr Symon
Mr Briggs Mr Hayes Mr Neville Mr Tehan
Mr Broadbent Mr Hockey Mr O'Dowd Mr K Thomson
Mr Buchholz Mr Hunt Ms O'Dwyer Mr Truss
Mr A Burke Mr Husic Ms O'Neill Mr Tudge
Mr Byrne Mr Irons Ms Owens Mr Turnbull
Mr Chester Dr Jensen Mrs Prentice Ms Vamvakinou
Mr Christensen Mr E Jones Mr Pyne Mr van Manen
Mr Ciobo Mr Katter Mr Ramsey Mr Vasta
Mr Cobb Mr Keenan Mr Randall Dr Washer
Mr Coulton Mr C Kelly Mr Ripoll Mr Windsor
Mr Crook Mr Laming Mr Robb Mr Wyatt
Mrs D'Ath Ms Ley Mr Robert Mr Zappia
Mr Dutton Mr Lyons Ms Rowland Dr Emerson
Mr McClelland Mr Roy


Lower House votes down same-sex marriage bill:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/same-sex-marriage-bill-voted-down/4270016

.
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Wed 19 Sep, 2012 02:34 am
@msolga,
I'd never heard of Senator Bernardi until a few days ago, when he first made his thoroughly objectionable comments about homosexuals. Which got worse before today's vote.

How come Abbott's personal parliamentary secretary even made these revolting comments in the first place?

Since when has any parliamentarian's leader's personal secretary made comments independent of the person they are working for, anyway?

And why has Abbott taken this long to make his objection? (after the vote)

Opinion polls, I reckon.

Looks like damage control to me.

Quote:
Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has resigned as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's personal parliamentary secretary following a widespread furore over the South Australian's comments that legislating for gay marriage could lead to demands to legalise bestiality and polygamy.

In announcing Senator Bernardi's resignation, Mr Abbott said his contribution to the same-sex marriage debate was unwelcome.

"They are views that I don't share. They are views that many people will find repugnant," Mr Abbott said. ....


http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/bernardi-resigns-over-bestiality-remark-20120919-265t0.html?rand=1511396
msolga
 
  2  
Reply Wed 19 Sep, 2012 07:36 pm
@msolga,
http://images.canberratimes.com.au/2012/09/19/3648296/1_li-gal-pope-20120919205305519060-600x400.jpg
 

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