Sunday August 4
Like the political tragic that I am I watch the ABCs Insiders programme. A number of things are worth reporting. Mike Seccombe of the Global Mail makes the statement that when the Economic history books are written they will show that Howard and Costello were bad economic managers. They blew the boom. I couldn’t agree more.
For once the panel talk about the Murdoch Press and the fact that Col Allan is back in Australia to conduct News Corps campaign against Rudd and the Labor Party. It’s obvious to all the panel that Murdoch wants to destroy the NBN. What a prick the man is. The fact that Murdoch wants Rudd to lose the coming federal election is not merely political, it is commercial. News Corp hates the government’s National Broadband Network. The company has formed a view that it poses a threat to the business model of by far its most important asset in Australia, the Foxtel cable TV monopoly it jointly owns with Telstra.
One of my quotes that I often use. It refers to the MSM.
“It is said of pornography (and I am not expert in this field) that in order to maintain the viewers or readers interest it needs to progressively become more outlandish – more tantalising – more seductive-more flirtatious-more provocative – more stunning and more enticing. And in their desire to maintain some dominance, that’s exactly what main stream media is doing. It has chosen to prostitute itself in the forlorn hope of remaining relevant”
My watching is interrupted by a Tweet from Margo Kingston saying that my Diary is well done. Now that what I call a sweet tweet. High praise indeed.
Then it’s announced that the Victorian Premier has signed up to the Better Schools reforms. I think he could see an electoral backlash if he didn’t. And Western Australia signed up to the NDIS. Labor has all the policies. Is the Coalition actually going to an election with the government’s policies? Now that’s a first.
The Insiders Poll of Polls shows little change. Still about 50% each. Here is another fact checking site run by Richard Dennis of the Australia Institute.
http://www.factsfightback.org.au/
RUDD ANNOUNCES AN ELECTION FOR SEPTEMBER 7
The first thing that enters my head is ‘’VOTE KEVIN ON SEPTEMBER 7’’ I GIVE UP ON WATCHING THE FOOTBALL TO WATCH THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE ON ABC24.
As an old advertising person I reckon Rudd delivers a much better opening salvo. He looks excited and serious at the same time. He has decided to take Abbott on where he at his weakest, the economy.
Warren Truss is interviewed and surprise, surprise he has no policies. Only those of the Liberals. Can someone please explain to me what the difference between a National and a Liberal is.
I spend 5 minutes praying that the Judges in the Ashbygate scandal release their findings. No only joking but it would be nice.
Then Tony appears and tells the press that he has released a multitude of policies and they are all in his booklet anyway. I want them fully costed and in the public arena where they can be debated. My thinking is that it will be in the last week. And he is still trying to avoid debating Rudd. Secretly I don’t blame him. Rudd has a formidable mind. And he said STOP THE BOATS three times and ILLEGALS four. But seriously there has to be a point in time when Abbott has to give the people some reasons to vote for him.
I get a Facebook friend request from Bill Shorten. Shit I open one of my best Reds.
So, we are off and running in the most important election in my lifetime.
Monday August 5
A good read from Independent Australia.
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/will-obama-advisors-win-election-for-the-alp/
And another from Carol Ahern at:
http://theaimn.com/2013/08/04/murdoch-hates-rudd-a-reminder/
The first Newspoll from the OFFICIAL Liberal party newsletter ‘’The Australian’’ newspaper is released and Dennis Shanahan does his usual word fiddle. The reader will note that he uses the word personal in a way to suggest that the LP primary vote is Rudd’s personal popularity measure. Where as in the preferred PM stakes Rudd is a country mile in front.
‘’KEVIN Rudd’s personal support among voters has slumped back to levels last seen before he was removed as prime minister in 2010 as he opened the 2013 election campaign by declaring himself the “underdog”.
The latest Newspoll survey reveals that Labor starts the campaign with its support virtually unchanged in the past fortnight at 37 per cent to the Coalition’s 44 per cent, down one percentage point.’’
Never the less it has to be said that Labor is behind the eight ball and the will start the underdog. There will be many polls over the next few weeks and Newspoll because of its methodology is somewhat sus.
I should at this point make myself clear. I do not necessarily agree with all Labor Party policy. For example I have reservations about its Asylum Seeker policy. However, I truly believe that to elect a conservative party with Tony Abbott as its leader would be a disaster.
My view of the leader of the opposition is as follows:
‘’Tony Abbott if nothing else is a very colourful character. He is aggressive both physically and in the use of language. His negativity is legendary and he has little consideration for any ideas other than his own and says NO to his opponents policies regardless of their worthiness. (Except for political necessity) He is by evidence and his own admission a liar of some regularity. Added to that he has a political gutter mentality and little respect for the institution of parliament and its conventions.’’
Murdoch’s 70%
If the front pages of today’s Murdoch press are a forerunner of things to come we are in for a rugged few weeks. Is it too much to think they could raise themselves from the sewer of their own bile.
A Facebook friend, Val Burge had this to say:
Murdoch’s front page (The Daily Telegraph) is in breach of Australian media Standards of Practice. “A paper’s editorial viewpoints and its advocacy of them must be kept separate from its news columns.”
And Speaking of News Ltd
Today News Ltd publicly apologised to a former student politician Barbara Ramjan, who was branded a serial liar by Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger after she had accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of physically intimidating her. Readers might remember she accused Abbott of throwing a couple of punches at her. Well they have settled out of court. In doing so it gives credence to her original story. Abbott said the incident never happened. It looks as though News Ltd thinks it did.Yet another of his pathetic lies. Will it be reported in the Murdoch Press? Of course not. They are collectively where the truth goes to die.
Bloody hell the man knows how to lie. Kaye Lee tells the story:
They truly haven’t got a clue.
“Tony Abbott’s first election campaign photo opportunity was at a Queensland meat packing company that the opposition leader claimed was “under direct threat” from carbon tax costs of $5 million, but which would actually face a bill of one tenth that amount next year if Labor is re-elected.
JBS Australia’s Ipswich plant has a current annual carbon tax liability of around $1.9 million for its 80,000 tonnes of emissions at the $24 carbon price.
As reporters at the scene reminded Abbott, the company received $4.8 million from Labor’s Clean Technology Food and Foundries program to pay for half the cost of improvements that will cut emissions – at its current production levels – to 35,000 tonnes.
So if Labor is re-elected, in the first six months of next year the company’s liability would be half of an annual bill of around $840,000 – about $420,000.
And if Labor then floats the carbon price – as it has promised – in the second half of the year its bill would fall further. At a carbon price of about $6 the annual bill would be $210,000.
That takes the total 2014 liability to about $525,000 – or about one tenth of Abbott’s estimate.
Abbott indicated he was calculating both direct and indirect carbon costs, and extensions to the tax planned for the future. Here’s what he said at the event:
“By the time the plant has paid its direct carbon tax costs, by the time this plant has paid higher electricity and gas prices because of the carbon tax, it’s up for $5 billion a year in costs that its competitors simply don’t face and then of course if this Government is re-elected there’ll be the carbon tax hit on heavy transport and this plants takes in and puts out some 80 B-doubles a day so that’s obviously going to be another big carbon tax hits on a plant like this on the job securities of the workers at a plant like this.”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/04/election-campaign-cars-carbon-tax
Tuesday August 7
Day two of the campaign I wake up make a green tea, turn on the ipad and peruse the MSM headlines. I am not surprised by the avalanche of antigovernment drivel dished out by mainly, the Murdoch press. Then I wonder how it is possible to combat this filth from News Ltd. The power this man has is just immoral.
Lenore Taylor has a good article in the Guardian on this subject and two paragraphs stand out.
‘’The Daily Telegraph ran a front page on that reform package, comparing former communications minister Senator Stephen Conroy to despots and dictators including Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong.’’
‘’News Corporation paper the Australian reported that Murdoch signed four copies of the Conroy front page at a recent birthday bash for conservative think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, also attended by Abbott and many of his front bench. One was a gift for an editor and the others were to be auctioned by the organisation.’’
For the full article go here.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/05/telegraph-headline-rudd-attack-murdoch?INTCMP=SRCH
Further scanning of the news tells that Mr Abbott has yet again escaped any bad press arising from News Corps apology to Barbara Ramjan. The story doesn’t appear. More lying by omission.
And Tony after saying on July 4 that he would be prepared to debate Kevin Rudd anywhere, anytime now refuses to do so. Is anyone keeping count of his lies? It’s now three debates but only one is real.
On top of that Joe Hockey says he will not commit to a final budget bottom line.
My Thought for the Day
“With Barnaby Joyce gaining pre selection for the seat of New England and Tony Windsor not standing it is highly likely Joyce will win? This will mean that when Warren Truss retires, Barnaby become deputy Prime Minister of Australia if the LNP wins. NO THIS IS NOT A JOKE”
Oh and I should mention that the Morgan Poll has the parties at 50/50
