Leadership debacle in Australia — Tell the politicans what you think

UPDATE: Spill vote is now Monday, not Tuesday. Turnbull has not resigned, but announced he will challenge if the spill vote passes, and is mocking Abbott. — Bolt  Polls show Turnbull would deliver only a 6% bounce in the honeymoon. Not even enough to win a snap election.

UPDATE#2: The spill vote defeated 61:39. Abbott stays on as PM, but will have to do something differently, or he has only bought time until the next one.

Firey emails are crossing my desk today of people vowing to quit the Liberal party.

Malcolm Turnbull lost his leadership in 2009 because he wanted an emissions trading scheme. But that extraordinary wave may get reversed. Australia may still end up with an emissions trading scheme which will send billions in brokers fees to bankers, won’t change the climate, and will be almost impossible to unwind. It’s not about free markets, it’s about fake ones. What’s worse than a carbon tax? A carbon market.

In 2009, a week after ClimateGate, and two weeks before Copenhagen, the furious outcry from Coalition party supporters and skeptics turned the Liberal party upside down. The skeptic message has spread since then. In 2014, even CSIRO surveys show that 50% of the population are skeptics.

If you worry about the endless, inevitable rush to bigger government, more freeloaders and less individual freedom, do something — express yourself.

Please keep your messages to politicians polite.

Thanks to Michael for this list (Feb 2015)

Australian Members of Parliament (Coalition) 2015

The Australian Parliament official page for contacting Senators and Members.

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Kevin Andrews) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Sussan Ley) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Kelly O’Dwyer) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Members of Parliament – phone numbers Coalition 2015

John Alexander (Bennalong) Tel: (02) 6277 4804 Fax: (02) 6277 8581
Karen Andrews (McPherson) Tel: (02) 6277 4360 Fax: (02) 6277 8462
Kevin Andrews (Menzies) Tel: (02) 6277 7560 Fax: (02) 6273 4122
Bob Baldwin (Paterson) Tel: (02) 6277 4200 Fax: (02) 6277 8447
Bruce Billson (Dunkley) Tel: (02) 6277 7930 Fax: (02) 6273 0434
Bronwyn Bishop (MacKellar) Tel: (02) 6277 4000 Fax: (02) 6277 2050
Julie Bishop (Curtin) Tel: (02) 6277 7500 Fax: (02) 6273 4112
Jamie Briggs (Mayo) Tel: (02) 6277 7020 Fax: (02) 6273 4126
Russell Broadbent (McMillan) Tel: (02) 6277 4233 Fax: (02) 6277 8485
Mal Brough (Fisher) Tel: (02) 6277 4970 Fax: (02) 6277 2860
Scott Buchholz (Wright) Tel: (02) 6277 4449 Fax: (02) 6277 8408
Steven Ciobo (Moncrief) Tel: (02) 6277 2330 Fax: (02) 6277 8452
David Coleman (Banks) Tel: (02) 6277 4188 Fax: (02) 6277 2353
Peter Dutton (Dickson) Tel: (02) 6277 7220 Fax: (02) 6273 4146
Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) Tel: (02) 6277 4803 Fax: (02) 6277 2238
Paul Fletcher (Bradfield) Tel: (02) 6277 4240 Fax: (02) 6277 8457
Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong) Tel: (02) 6277 7360 Fax: (02) 6273 4125
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane) Tel: (02) 6277 4331 Fax: (02) 6277 8515
Ian Goodenough (Moore) Tel: (02) 6277 4651 Fax: (02) 6277 2082
Natasha Griggs (Solomon) Tel: (02) 6277 2392 Fax: (02) 6277 8479
Alex Hawke (Mitchell) Tel: (02) 6277 4430 Fax: (02) 6277 8522
Sarah Henderson (Corangamite) Tel: (02) 6277 4172 Fax: (02) 6277 2043
Peter Hendy (Eden Monaro) Tel: (02) 6277 4717 Fax: (02) 6277 4737
Joe Hockey (North Sydney) Tel: (02) 6277 7340 Fax: (02) 6273 3420
Luke Howarth (Petrie) Tel: (02) 6277 4018 Fax: (02) 6277 2361
Greg Hunt (Flinders) Tel: (02) 6277 7920 Fax: (02) 6273 7330
Eric Hutchinson (Lyons) Tel: (02) 6277 4918 Fax: (02) 6277 4299
Steve Irons (Swan) Tel: (02) 6277 4337 Fax: (02) 6277 8494
Denis Jensen (Tangney) Tel: (02) 6277 4156Fax: (02) 6277 8460
Ewen Jones (Herbert) Tel: (02) 6277 4693 Fax: (02) 6277 8551
Michael Keenan (Stirling) Tel: (02) 6277 7290Fax: (02) 6273 7098
Craig Kelly (Hughes) Tel: (02) 6277 4366 Fax: (02) 6277 8567
Andrew Laming (Bowman) Tel: (02) 6277 4258Fax: (02) 6277 8503
Craig Laundy (Reid) Tel: (02) 6277 4345 Fax: (02) 6277 8577
Sussan Ley (Farrer) Tel: (02) 6277 7220 Fax: (02) 6273 5188
Ian Macfarlane (Groom) Tel: (02) 6277 7070 Fax: (02) 6273 3662
Nola Marino (Forrest) Tel: (02) 6277 2318 Fax: (02) 6277 8450
Louise Markus (Macquarie) Tel: (02) 6277 2371 Fax: (02) 6277 8463
Russell Matheson (Macarthur) Tel: (02) 6277 2035 Fax: (02) 6277 8486
Karen McNamara (Dobell) Tel: (02) 6277 4055 Fax: (02) 6277 4293
Scott Morrison (Cook) Tel: (02) 6277 7860 Fax: (02) 6273 4144
Andrew Nikolic (Bass) Tel: (02) 6277 4954 Fax: (02) 6277 227
Kelly O’Dwyer (Higgins) Tel: (02) 6277 4155 Fax: (02) 6277 8453
Tony Pasin (Barker) Tel: (02) 6277 4864 Fax: (02) 6277 4865
Christian Porter (Pearce) Tel: (02) 6277 4275 Fax: (02) 6277 2231
Jane Prentice (Ryan) Tel: (02) 6277 4426 Fax: (02) 6277 8512
Melissa Price (Durack) Tel: (02) 6277 4242 Fax: (02) 6277 8554
Christopher Pyne (Sturt) Tel: (02) 6277 7350 Fax: (02) 6273 4134
Rowan Ramsay (Grey) Tel: (02) 6277 4967 Fax: (02) 6277 8440
Don Randall (Canning) Tel: (02) 6277 2090 Fax: (02) 6277 8425
Andrew Robb (Goldstein) Tel: (02) 6277 7420 Fax: (02) 6273 4128
Stuart Robert (Fadden) Tel: (02) 6277 7730 Fax: (02) 6273 3897
Wyatt Roy (Longman) Tel: (02) 6277 4646 Fax: (02) 6277 8539
Philip Ruddock (Berowa) Tel: (02) 6277 4088 Fax: (02) 6277 8468
Fiona Scott (Lindsay) Tel: (02) 6277 4270 Fax: (02) 6277 8422
Luke Simpkins (Cowan) Tel: (02) 6277 4009 Fax: (02) 6277 8423
Tony Smith (Casey) Tel: (02) 6277 4284 Fax: (02) 6277 8439
Andrew Southcott (Boothby) Tel: (02) 6277 4283 Fax: (02) 6277 8476
Sharman Stone (Murray) Tel: (02) 6277 4477 Fax: (02) 6277 8454
Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore) Tel: (02) 6277 4141 Fax: (02) 6277 8482
Michael Sukkar (Deakin) Tel: (02) 6277 4847 Fax: (02) 6277 4862
Angus Taylor (Hume) Tel: (02) 6277 4662 Fax: (02) 6277 2389
Dan Tehan (Wannon) Tel: (02) 6277 4393 Fax: (02) 6277 8538
Alan Tudge (Aston) Tel: (02) 6277 4354 Fax: (02) 6277 8487
Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth) Tel: (02) 6277 7480 Fax: (02) 6273 3776
Bert Van Mannen (Forde) Tel: (02) 6277 4719 Fax: (02) 6277 8553
Nickolas Varvaris (Barton) Tel: (02) 6277 4626 Fax: (02) 6277 8428
Ross Vasta (Bonner) Tel: (02) 6277 4632 Fax: (02) 6277 8535
Brett Whiteley (Braddon) Tel: (02) 6277 4387 Fax: (02) 6277 2335
Lucy Wicks (Robertson) Tel: (02) 6277 4738 Fax: (02) 6277 4739
Matt Williams (Hindmarsh) Tel: (02) 6277 4429 Fax: (02) 6277 2375
Rick Wilson (O’Connor) Tel: (02) 6277 4101 Fax: (02) 6277 2073
Jason Wood (La Trobe) Tel: (02) 6277 4982 Fax: (02) 6277 4994
Ken Wyatt (Hasluck) Tel: (02) 6277 4707 Fax: (02) 6277 8552

 

Coalition Senators Emails and phones 2015

To contact members in their Electorate Office use this Parliamentary list. The numbers below are for Parliament House Canberra.

Eric Abetz (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7320 Fax: (02) 6273 4115

Chris Back (WA) https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=J7Q Telephone: (02) 6277 3733 Fax: (02) 6277 5877

Cory Bernardi https://www.corybernardi.com/contact/ (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3278 Fax: (02) 6277 5783

Simon Birmingham (SA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7630 Fax: (02) 6273 5188

George Brandis (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7300 Fax: (02) 6273 4102

David Bushby (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3404 Fax: (02) 6277 3403

Michaelia Cash (WA) Telephone: (02) 6277 7610 Fax: (02) 6273 7093 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=I0M

Richard Colbeck (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 5814 Fax: (02) 6277 5823

Mathias Cormann (WA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7400 Fax: (02) 6273 4110

Sean Edwards (SA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3385 Fax: (02) 6277 5960

David Fawcett (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3418 Fax: (02) 6277 5964 [email protected]

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3345 Fax: (02) 6277 3351

Mitch Fifield (VIC) Telephone: (02) 6277 7280 Fax: (02) 6273 4138 http://www.mitchfifield.com/Contact.aspx

Bill Heffernan (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6277 3610 Fax: (02) 6277 3614

David Johnston (WA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3249 Fax: (02) 6277 5766 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=00AON

Ian MacDonald (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3722 Fax: (02) 6277 5914

Brett Mason (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3756 Fax: (02) 6277 5725

James McGrath (QLD) Telephone: (02) 6277 3076 Fax: (02) 6277 5948 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=217241

Stephen Parry (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3300 Fax: (02) 6277 3108

Marise Payne (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6277 7200 Fax: (02) 6273 4406 [email protected]

Linda Reynolds (WA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3296 Fax: (02) 6277 5764

Michael Ronaldson (VIC) Telephone: (02) 6277 7820 Fax: (02) 6273 4140 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=xt4

Anne Ruston (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3753 Fax: (02) 6277 5825

Scott Ryan (VIC) http://scottryan.com.au/email Telephone: (02) 6277 3483 Fax: (02) 6277 5824

Nigel Scullion (NT) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7780 Fax: (02) 6273 7096

Zed Seselja (ACT) Telephone: (02) 6277 3187 Fax: (02) 6277 5712 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=HZE

Arthur Sinodinis (NSW) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3651 Fax: (02) 6277 5954

Dean Smith (WA) [email protected] Telephone: 02 6277 3707 Fax: 02 6277 5792

Matt Canavan (QLD) [email protected] Telephone (07) 4927 2003 Fax (07) 4927 2004
Bridget McKenzie (VIC) [email protected] Telephone: (03) 5441 4251 Fax: (03) 5441 4260
Fiona Nash (NSW) Telephone (02) 6382 3400 Fax: (02) 6382 3499
Barry O’Sullivan (QLD) Telephone: (07) 4638 7555 Fax: (07) 4638 7199
John Williams (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6721 4500 Fax: (02) 6721 4544

 

I have updated my Australian Elected Representatives – Contacts page with these details.

h/t to Michael, and also to Annie

9.5 out of 10 based on 50 ratings

323 comments to Leadership debacle in Australia — Tell the politicans what you think

  • #

    Russell Brand has just come out in favour of removing Tony Abbott. If anyone supports the spill, they will suffer the ignominy of being on the same side of an issue as the idiot Brand.

    http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/russell-brand-takes-aim-at-tony-abbott-20150206-138dk6.html

    300

    • #
      aussieguy

      Ah yes, Russell Brand…One of UK’s worldly recognised Champagne Socialists. Aka: Rich, privileged Leftie.

      When challenged to put his hat in the ring of UK politics (by a member of the public in a BBC Q&A-style show), he fell weak in the knees and backed down like a scared kitten. He was deflated in 0.5 seconds.

      This guy is gutless when asked to put his money where his mouth is. He is a perfect example of those of the modern Left who practices Critical Theory.

      For those who don’t know, Critical Theory is the paradigm of constantly criticising everything. It is the sword of the Left. Their shield is Political Correctness. ie: What I call their “Trinity of the Left” of Race, Gender, and Class.

      In Brand’s case, he constantly pushes for class warfare because he openly wants Socialism. However, in this particular case (as provided by your link), he is going for the Race card. This is seen by his use of the words “white man” in his immigration comment. Remember, white man are the oppressors in the eyes of the Left. (Even when most of the Left are white themselves!)



      As for my local Federal LNP candidate, he didn’t win his seat. He is that useless character who couldn’t state Abbott’s border control policy. He made a bloody fool of himself on TV and gave a free kick to the ALP. Basically, he handed the win to Michelle Rowland…So I got no one to represent my view on the Federal LNP side.

      The electoral seat I’m in had its border deliberately redrawn in 2009 to ensure the ALP secure it as a safe seat.

      80

    • #
      Originalsteve

      This “spill” is pure theatre.

      If you go abbott, you get a One-World supporting, Phodes Scholar for PM

      Of you go Turnbull, you get a One-World supporting, Phodes Scholar for PM

      You get the same agenda, same outcome, same NWO, which ever way you go…..

      Dont you love the “choice” youre given?

      31

  • #
    Bulldust

    The irony is that one of the first detractors was prominent sceptic Jensen. Was he so self-obsessed he would risk Turnbull as PM, just to oust Abbott because he didn’t get the science portfolio?

    460

    • #
      scaper...

      Nose and face comes to mind.

      170

    • #
      el gordo

      All Dennis Jensen wants is to become science minister so that he can inform the public that CO2 doesn’t cause global warming and consequently cooling is approaching.

      This is a wakeup call for Abbott and Jensen is heroic in the face of adversity.

      There is little chance that Malcolm will become PM if the Nats are opposed to him.

      190

      • #
        Lord Jim

        Do you think Turnbull will tolerate Jensen as science minister promulgating anti-co2? No chance.
        Jensen’s was an act of wilful destruction.
        We are now left with the very real prospect that we will get an ETS irrespective of whether it is Liberal or ALP-Greens in power.
        All Turnbull needs to do is promise ‘no ETS until a global agreement’, have some sort of deal at the Paris conference – even if it is see through gossamer – and he has got the trigger to introduce it.
        It might split the Liberal party; on the other hand he might frame it as a choice between introducing an ETS and keeping their jobs on the treasury benches… whether they would or not, who can say?
        But if they lose then the ALP-Greens bring in an ETS.

        200

        • #
          el gordo

          Abbott should be our PM in the run up to the next election, Barnaby has bet his house on it, but he will have to take the Nats more seriously.

          Sceptics need Jensen in a revamped science ministry or environment, otherwise half the population is being ignored.

          242

        • #
          Ted O'Brien.

          The only mistake Turnbull has made was to support a tax on energy. A case can be mounted for such a tax, but in Australia one of the few things we had to maintain our world competitiveness was cheap energy. That should have ruled out all thought of a tax on energy at the present time.

          All the other issues attributed to Turnbull were fiction of very poorly educated journalists and their followers and the opposition. Turnbull has not challenged Abbott. There is no good reason why Turnbull having a cup of coffee in a public or a private place should be interpreted as disloyalty to Abbott. It has all been media beat ups.

          This furore has been brought on by election results in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. It was very poor communication by Tony Abbott which caused these disastrous results, but changing leaders would only make the problem worse. Tony Abbott is the bloke who must fix it by communicating better with the electorate.

          72

      • #
        Leigh

        He can do that without “murdering” his government.
        This really is nothing more than those who didn’t get a seat up front on the gravy train.
        Wanting to get their “share” at the trough of public monies.
        Whats a ministerial portfolio worth?
        $120 a $130 thousand on top of the $200 thousand just for stepping onto the gravy train.
        Every day there is a new example of the total disregard politicians have for the people who elect them.
        This us not about the betterment of Australia and it’s peoples.
        This is simply about me me and whats in it for me.
        I’m rapidly approaching the point after forty plus years of voting to elect who “represents” me on this circus train.
        To saying just jail me.
        I’ve had enough and I will not be forced to participate!
        Have the coalition forgot who gave them such a landslide victory?
        Those that were disalusionized by Gillard/Rudd deserted labor in droves but they did not vote for Abbott in his first election as leader.
        Hence the hung parliament that Gillard “purchased” from the”independants”.
        They did vote for Abbott and the coalition the second time he fronted up which resulted in the landslide.
        Does the coalition really believe that decending into the farce of the Rudd/Gillard years will have those “swinging” voters return?
        We will in all likelihood have a hung parliament controlled by independants. ……again.
        MADNESS!

        340

      • #
        Bushkid

        Interesting proposition, but I doubt it would be effective, and there is way too much to be lost if Turnbull did float to the top. We’ve been there, and it wasn’t good at all. How short are some memories?

        90

    • #
      James Bradley

      Yes!

      60

    • #
      Barry

      Was he so self-obsessed he would risk Turnbull as PM …

      I think that is over-simplifying things. What would you do if you were a member of a parliamentary party that had ‘gone commie’? What other options would you have?

      And that raises the matter of a mass email/phone campaign. With all due respect, it is a waste of time.

      The Liberals will change only when they are FORCED to change. We need a group of high‐profile individuals to run a campaign ‐ the ‘Earn My Vote’ campaign ‐ getting coalition voters to sign up to withhold their votes in marginal coalition seats unless the coalition agrees to adopt a specified set of policies. It would have to be run by well‐connected people who have an extensive network of powerful allies to protect them. Dare I remind you what happened to the last person who went up against the established parties on her own. And you would need to be mindful of the Albert Langer case when suggesting that a vote be ‘withheld’. The legislation might have been changed, but law is whatever those with power say it is.

      This could be done on a very low budget as it would go viral on conservative blogs. A relatively small number of conservatives could thus force the Liberals to reform their party.

      81

  • #
    Truthseeker

    There is a clear lesson here. If you want to succeed in Australian Politics, you have to maximise your narcism.

    120

  • #
    scaper...

    Go for it. Me? I’m staying out of it because it is Party Room business and besides…this issue has rolled on too far to have any influence by anyone outside the Room.

    Also, I believe if Turnbull becomes PM, Australia will not have an ETS unless the world signs up in Paris. The big unknown. I enquired last week…”If Turnbull is PM will Direct Action be dropped and another option (ETS) taken up?”

    Reply…”Direct Action has been legislated (law) and no other form of action will be considered until DA has expired.”

    34

    • #
      scaper...

      UPDATE. The spill has been brought forward to tomorrow. I doubt the MPs’ offices are open today.

      30

    • #
      Konrad

      Staying out of it was it? I didn’t –

      Dear Mr. Turnbull,

      I am writing to you to explain just why your standing for PM ids not in the best interests of Australia. While a great many Greens, Labor voters, Fairfax journalists and ABC personalities are desperate for you to make this attempt, the majority of conservative voters are not.

      You have made a critical error in politics. You supported the idea that adding radiative gases to the atmosphere would reduce the atmosphere’s radiative cooling ability. Worse, you referred to sceptics more scientifically literate than you as “Hitler appeasers” on your personal website. Sceptics never forgive and the Internet never forgets.

      Global Warming was in effect a global IQ test with results permanently recorded on the internet. You failed. You may think that a week is a long time in politics, but it is not so in science and certainly not so in the age of the Internet. Realpolitik and consensus have no meaning in science. You got it wrong, and that is forever.

      The global warming hoax is collapsing in the face of empirical evidence and increasing public and scientific scepticism. In the age of the Internet, the putrescent corpse of the AGW hoax cannot be re-animated, nor can it be hidden. Your hands are stained Sir, and this foul spot wilt not out.

      You have witness the determination of the sceptics. We will never give up. Never. Never. Never. If you become PM through backstabbing, you will just be next on the list of AGW propagandists to be brought down. Sceptics do not care about Left or Right, we care about right or wrong. You got it so wrong that you though to vilify sceptics to silence them. “Noble cause” can’t save you.

      Your attempting to be PM is not in the interests of conservative voters, nor Malcolm Turnbull.

      Kindest regards (for the moment),

      Konrad.

      – if Turnbull wins a spill, as a sceptic I will hound him to the grave. Seriously “Hitler appeasers”? He can never be forgiven. He’s made the list. Who cares what party he hides within? He vilified sceptics. That’s forever.

      332

      • #
        Peter Carabot

        Conrad, I have “copied” your email and sent it off as well. I have written to all LNP members, expressing my concerns, now I have also added your one. Thank you

        30

      • #
        Rereke Whakaaro

        Powerful words Konrad. I am really impressed.

        From the spelling of your handle, did you originate in eastern Europe, by any chance?

        20

      • #
        Sean McHugh

        Staying out of it was it? I didn’t

        An article in the Telegraph shows that you didn’t waste your time and shows how great was the backlash warning. Yes, the MPs did read the emails on the weekend and they did have an impact. The MPs are testifying to that themselves. What is more the emails will have a continuing effect that goes beyond this spill. Don’t wait for a reply though, there were too many. Search for, “Member anger a Rudd awakening for Liberals”.

        10

    • #
      • #
        scaper...

        Griss, I know full well the game plan, so do others.

        As I said in my comment

        and besides…this issue has rolled on too far to have any influence by anyone outside the Room.

        I rang and wrote over a week ago about my concerns. If anyone here believes there can be an impact at the eleventh hour, then they are wrong.

        For this thread was to have any impact, it should have been written days ago!

        01

  • #
    Dennis

    I have emailed Coalition senior MPs in recent months not because I am a loyal party member, I do not belong to any political party, but because I am very concerned about the large sections of the media acting like a propaganda machine for Union Labor Greens, the very real budget financial crisis Labor are responsible for creating and the hostile Senate slowing and blocking attempts by the government to legislate to deal with the crisis, the new financial storm clouds over the horizon and that the only alternative government is the return of Labor managed by the union movement and their flawed character leader Bill “Showbags” Shorten. It is clear to me that only the Liberal National Coalition has the will and the acumen to continue to repair and protect our nation’s economy and finances.

    And regarding the Union Labor plan to return to carbon tax in the form of emissions trading. When it was formed the now EU was the European Economic Union, the European part was dropped and obviously to better describe an expansion beyond Europe. When Labor Cabinet Minister Greg Combet announced a plan to convert the Labor carbon tax to an ETS but join it into the EU ETS, our taxes being sent overseas, I immediately identified another subtle clue that the “word parliament” former Greens leader Senator Bob Brown had talked about, and Australia not having sovereign borders, that the socialists were on track to create the one world government they have planned for so long.

    Most here would be aware of the warnings issued by Lord Christopher Monckton regarding the Paris Conference on climate change, the targeting of the Australian and the Canadian prime ministers politically, the “lecture” given at a Queensland university by the POTUS when he visited Australia for the G20 Meeting that effectively took a political swipe at Tony Abbott and more. The present call for a leadership spill by a few disgruntled would be if they could be Liberal MPs is a disgrace.

    491

    • #
      King Geo

      Quoting Dennis – “I am very concerned about the large sections of the media acting like a propaganda machine for Union Labor Greens”.

      Non-govt funded MSM outlets should be able to air their views – that is their democratic right. Now the A$1.22 billion per annum govt funded ABC is another matter – Auntie is very biased towards “leftie politics (Labor/Greens)” and that is totally unacceptable. To change this bias there are a number of options: sell off the ABC unless they take steps to remove their obvious political bias or have an independent panel that makes sure that this political bias is changed to a level playing field.

      270

  • #
    Keith L

    I sent a two line mail to all of them and reminded them that on my side of politics we vote for policies not personalities. If Turnbull takes over and thinks that he is going to automatically inherit all Liberal voters he has a rude shock coming.

    400

  • #
    James Bradley

    I’ve e-mailed Angus Taylor a number of times and always received a personal reply.

    The last couple of weeks I’ve sent him two e-mails briefly stating that if Mr. Abbott is dumped for Turnbull there’ll be no vote from me at the next election – still no reply.

    230

  • #
    Sean McHugh

    I have sent the following to Ann Sudmalis (my local member) and have Cc’d Greg Hunt, Christopher Pyne, Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop:

    Dear Ann,

    As someone who sought to offer hard support for the Coalition for the last election (recall the bumper sticker designs), I am declaring that the Coalition will not have my support with Malcolm Turnbull as leader. I said, before his replacement by Tony Abbott, that he had to go. I have not changed my mind.

    I frequent the political blogs and see stuck-on Labor/Greens supporting barracking for Turnbull. This should not be seen as encouragement but as a warning. These people are not going to change their vote to the Coalition.

    Yes, the PM has serious problems. My main issue with him that he tacks to the left when under pressure. For example, the donation to the Climate Fund (against his own policy) right when he seemed to be standing up to Obama. Capitulating with 18c is another example. It seems to always be one step forward and two steps backwards. With these reflex tacks to the left, the PM has made zero friends over there but has lost many from his support base. I am one of the latter.

    My issue with Turnbull is bigger. It’s that he doesn’t need to go left; he is instinctively left. That’s one reason he is (for the moment) the ABC’s darling. The other reason is for his popularity with the left is that he is seen as a loose cannon, and one who condemns and damages his own party, the Liberals. But if he were to become leader again, all that would change quickly. The ABC wouldn’t need him anymore and he would again become the head of the wrong mob. He would again be the target. These seemingly strange contradictions can be easily explained; Malcolm Turnbull is in the wrong party, simple as that. And why would left voters and supporters opt for Labor Lite when they can have the real thing?

    I believe Turnbull would eventually find a way to introduce his beloved ETS in some form, possibly using international pressure (real or manufactured) as an excuse. Please remember that killing the Carbon Tax as a major ticket item in the 2012 election. Introduction of the ETS would represent a monstrous (and probably irreversible) betrayal by the Coalition.

    With Malcolm Turnbull as head of the Coalition, our choices for preferences with the major parties would essentially become: New Labor, Labor/Greens and Red/Greens. I think my conscience would necessitate my voting informal or copping the fine. Many others are feeling and saying the same.

    Yours Faithfully,

    Sean McHugh

    680

  • #
    Lord Jim

    Abbott brought forward the leadership spill to Monday.
    Sinidonos has publicly criticized him for doing so… another ‘captain’s call’.
    I would say he is now a goner…
    But let us not forget this whole mess was brought on by his own self-indulgent decision to knight Prince Philip. He must have known this would go down – at the very least – like a led balloon amongst the latte luvvies meedja and he would be pilloried for it.
    So much was riding on his success and he has managed to destroy his prime-ministership over something so… trivial.
    Reminds me of a quote from Sir Thomas More:
    “Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world… but for Wales?”

    316

    • #
      Lord Jim

      It is probably political suicide for the Liberals to endorse Turnbull as leader.
      Lots of people to blame for the current mess though, not just Jensen.

      90

      • #
        el gordo

        This captain’s call on Monday is good to go.

        Abbott can be a self indulgent fool at times, nevertheless he’s all we have. Ideally, after the dust settles on Monday the victorious pug will have a press conference.

        ‘I want to thank Malcolm for putting the party before personal ambition. Thanks also to Dennis for the wake up call, I’m rewarding him with the science ministry so that we can have a proper debate on climate change, which remains a festering sore.

        ‘For the Nats I offer drought relief and will stop the foreclosures. In addition, we are seeking tenders for a transcontinental railway, which should impress the agrarian socialists in our ranks.’

        80

    • #
      handjive

      It seems like a good opportunity to roll out this quote again:

      As for any politicians who have ever believed in global warming, or supported the carbon tax, or a carbon-constrained economy, there is no hope for them.

      They are either too stupid or incompetent to be taken seriously.”
      ~ ~ ~
      Those words resonate even louder now.

      Merely recanting, at this late stage, won’t be enough. Make their lives hell too, just as they wished a diminished life on you.
      . . .
      Too right. Shall do.

      101

    • #
      Peter Carabot

      Hawke gave an Australian award to PP all those years ago and not a sound from the Water-Melons. The Luvvies will crucify Abbott if he crosses the street, Malcom has been behind the destabilization of Abbott all along,
      witness the debacle and the lack of control at their ABC!

      40

  • #
    pat

    let no-one imagine a global ETS is not behind much of the push to re-instate Turnbull (& which Guardian’s Lenore Taylor has told us would not be difficult to do, given a loophole in the Direct Action legislation). note Milman has the PM “denying” what is only “likely” for China, which only “hopes” some day to do something:

    6 Feb: Guardian: Oliver Milman: Tony Abbott denies China’s carbon trading plan shows he is out of step
    ‘More and more countries are going down the direct action path,’ prime minister says of grants aimed at lowering emissions
    On Wednesday a Chinese government official said a national carbon market was likely to be launched by the middle of next year…
    “We hope to kick off the national market in summer of 2016, starting with a three-year trading phase before the market becomes fully functional in 2019,” said Jiang Zhaoli, a senior official within the National Development and Reform Commission’s climate change department…
    Abbott: “Sure, other countries ***talk about what they might do down the track, but we are actually delivering lower emissions for a better environment.”…
    (PROPAGANDA ALERT!)Analysis conducted by the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology states that Australia could warm by up to 5.1C by 2100 unless action is taken to curb emissions. This level of warming would have major ramifications for agriculture, human health owing to increased heatwaves, and coastal infrastructure owing to rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/06/tony-abbott-denies-chinas-carbon-trading-plan-shows-he-is-out-of-step

    most of those commenting (begging for an ETS, more like it) remind me of:

    “A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, news- paper editors and schoolteachers. But their methods are still crude and unscientific.”
    – from Foreword to Brave New World, second edition — circa 1947- Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

    of course, China has been playing a clever game with the carbon vultures for some time:

    Jan 2013: Bloomberg: Carbon Traders Stung by Rout, Try Again in China: Energy Markets
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-18/carbon-traders-stung-by-rout-try-again-in-china-energy-markets

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    • #
      Dennis

      Abbott said last year that he will not stand for socialism masquerading as environmentalism.

      250

    • #
      Winston

      This is the end game, Pat.

      Aldous Huxley’s quote is so incredibly apt and reaffirms that everything we hold dear, and the hard won freedoms for which millions sacrificed their lives and happiness, are under the gravest threat since the rise of Nazism. Ironically it is motivated by precisely the same mindset, by people with exactly the same hatred for humanity.

      Unfortunately, we are seeing humanity confronted by unwinnable battles being fought on many fronts with the rising tide of religious fanaticism and intolerance, the return of medieval barbarism, the recrudescence of the Cold War, the rising threat of nuclear holocaust (through the ill-considered perception that such conflict could be waged in a ‘limited’ and ‘tactical’ fashion), a rising elitism among the moneyed few who desire a return to master/serf societal organisation, and the very real likelihood of an economic meltdown the likes of which has never been experienced before and the magnitude of which is likely to devolve human society into chaos.

      Paris 2015 is every bit the D-Day that Normandy was, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, while millions look on powerless to influence the potentially egregious consequences of actions being wrought in their name. While many naively welcome these events as the saviour of man, I suggest that is the likely millstone around the neck of a drowning humankind, and that will spell endless poverty, disease, destruction and eventual death for the largest percentage of poor souls who reside on our planet. For all our sakes, let us hope they do not succeed.

      392

      • #
        Winston

        I normally don’t get too animated about red thumbs, as usually it means I’ve hit a raw nerve. However, this one has me intrigued. I’d really like to know what objection one might have to a post that describes the multiplicity of challenges facing Western society in the 21st Century, and how power brokers in the church of climatology and their political allies could potentially seal a deal with ramifications for the future sovereignty of Australia, and for the welfare of our global society.

        Please put forth your considered rebuttal. I’m all ears, a bit like Tony Abbott.

        212

      • #
        Dan

        Social critic Neil Postman contrasted the worlds of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:

        What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Postman added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.

        160

      • #
        Glen Michel

        Mea culpa,or rather,my fat fingers.What is done cannot be undone on this case!

        30

  • #
    pat

    ***Funk seems rather more CAGW sceptical since writing his recent, well-researched book, “Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming”, which didn’t take sides on CAGW, but examined those cashing in, mostly in a positive light, & looked at potential benefits to countries, industries, individuals, etc., if the world did warm, according to the predictions.

    30 Jan: Foreign Policy Mag: McKenzie Funk: The Hack That Warmed the World
    Europe’s carbon-trading market was supposed to be capitalism’s solution to global warming. Instead, it became a playground for gangsters, international crime syndicates, and even two-bit crooks — who stole hundreds of millions of dollars in pollution credits.
    Although stockbrokers have to be licensed, just about anybody can become a carbon trader. (In 2007, the New York Times had called carbon traders the “rising stars” of London’s financial district.)…
    The trio is among the thousands of people—gang members, terrorists, hackers, and others—who have tried a hand at what Interpol has identified as the future of international fraud: carbon crime. According to the international police agency in a damning 2013 report, emissions trading is the fastest-growing commodities market in the world, and criminals have eagerly exploited weaknesses and gaps in that market’s regulations and security—reaping tens of millions of dollars in illegal profits and threatening to destroy the much-lauded environmental concept of “cap and trade” as they go…
    “If I’d done the carbon thing myself,” claims Beddoes, who is now out of prison, back in the Midlands, and—he says—on the straight and narrow, “I coulda been on a bloody desert island.” The hacking was that lucrative, and that easy…
    As for carbon trading as a strategy to save the world, Beddoes remains skeptical. “Biggest scam on the planet!”…
    These crimes point to an inherent flaw in cap-and-trade systems: the difficulty of substantiating transactions that involve nothing palpable. “The noteworthy potential for the carbon market to be exploited,” Interpol says in its report, “rests on a single significant vulnerability that distinguishes it from other markets—the intangible nature of carbon itself.” Put another way, if a man who buys a horse never receives it, he’ll pick up on the scam. But if he buys the right, represented by a numerical code, to emit an invisible gas or the promise that someone else will emit less of that gas in the future, he might easily be fooled…
    In 2015, because of problems like excess credits, the main 
barrier to carbon crime may be that credits have become so cheap. But there’s still strong faith in the potential of cap and trade, and a mounting concern about fraud.
    So while officials wait for prices—***and global temperatures—to rise***, they’re finally tightening security…
    http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/30/climate-change-hack-carbon-credit-black-dragon/

    60

  • #

    Malcolm Turnbull is the bets leader that the party¹ ever had!

    ¹The Australian Labor Party.

    260

  • #
    FIN

    It seems pretty obvious to me that the extreme right wing/Tea party/neo-con agenda is thoroughly rejected by the electorate. The polls clearly indicate this and of course the QLD election confirmed it.

    I find it interesting that this (Nova’s) far right wing blog continues to espouse such unpopular ideals. Clearly the punters don’t want it. Whatever you think of Turnbull, he would lead from the centre which is of course as it should be. The last we want is an ultra right wing agenda which Abbott represents. As I said, seems pretty obvious to me. People want fairness, and not what a small extreme minority want.

    562

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Abbott has been trying to lead from the centre. If you think that the Labor Party emulating the Greens is the centre then you need to get out more (if they allow you to).

      One of the things the opposition (Greens, Labor and the ABC) have been hammering is that Abbott is far right wing. Compared with them he might seem to be, but believe me if you think that he is ultra right wing then you have led a very sheltered life.

      501

      • #
        FIN

        Wow, seriously? If you think Abbott is leading from the centre I really think you need to talk to others outside of your echo chamber.

        551

        • #
          Winston

          Why, FIN- what is the Academy of the Clueless saying?

          So, because all the people you talk to in the thoroughly unbiased socialist women’s knitting collective you belong to say it is so, then it must be right?

          Seriously FIN, I do about 8000 consultations a year from people of all walks of life, and I can safely suggest to you that amongst those people (with wildly divergent political affiliations) virtually none are prioritising the sought of rabid eco-zealot ideology espoused by people of the Green faith such as yourself on this blog. You and your cohorts rely upon the carefully manufactured ignorance of the vast majority of people about the agenda that you and your fellow travellers are embarked upon. If they realised for an instant what an ETS &/or Carbon taxation was really about, what its true purpose was, and what the actions and desires of the UN really entailed for them, then your ideology would be rejected completely and thoroughly in the proverbial blink of an eye. That is why the complicit media is such an important arm to this whole Neo-Malthusian movement, they are the grass in which the venomous Green snakes hide.

          421

        • #
          James Bradley

          FIN,

          You’re a Queenslander, still self employed and still gloating over a state win while waiting for Abbott to fall.

          No other business in Australia welcomes this so you must be part of the lucrative Labor/Green grants and subsidies scam.

          301

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          Yes FIN, seriously. And I strongly suspect that it is you who lives in an echo chamber.

          211

        • #
          Rereke Whakaaro

          FIN,

          You have obviously never lived under an extreme right wing Prime Minister. Believe me Abbot is about as centrist as you can get. It is only because the ALP and the Greens are competing to see who can get further left of Stalinism, that Abbot looks right wing in comparison.

          And for your information, the Tea Party, and the neo-Conservatives are both U.S. political movements, and the last time I checked, Australia was not part of the U.S., so I would guess you are just parroting what you have read somewhere else. Does Polly want a cracker?

          312

    • #
      Lord Jim

      An ETS is extreme left wing ideology masquerading as environmentalism.
      Call it what you will, if you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig…

      352

    • #
      Winston

      Just how does Abbott represent “ultra right wing”? For that matter how does Jo (a former Green) or any of the others who comment here for example?

      In Abbott’s case, by introducing a measly $7 Medicare co-payment, perhaps? So, that would make Graham Richardson “ultra right wing” also for introducing a $3.50 (which roughly equates to about $7.00 in today’s dollars) Pharmaceutical benefits co-payment? Both of these had the same purpose, to put in a small price signal to help the scheme maintain some measure of affordability so it didn’t collapse under its own weight. Yet, no doubt you were in favour of the latter at the time it was introduced (assuming you are not under 30) and not the former, because one side of politics (yours) proposed it, even though they are under an absolutely identical template.

      It’s interesting that I, for example, am ultra right wing in your perception. I’m personally against capital punishment, I’m against all forms of religious intolerance, I’m against any form of racial prejudice (although that also includes “positive discrimination”), I’m against any form of unfairness based on anyone’s sexual orientation, preferences or personal beliefs so long as those beliefs don’t infringe upon the rights of others, I’m against private gun ownership of any semi-automatic or high powered weaponry, I’m especially against crony capitalism (though importantly not free market capitalism with appropriate checks and balances restored) or any gratuitous exploitation of workers, and I am against rampant environmental destruction by industry, widespread deforestation or uncontrolled pollution of waterways and oceans. I’m in favour of some form of socialised medicine, and I am in favour of heavily subsidised university education for those with the academic credentials to justify investment in the future of our best and brightest (for which the previous Commonwealth scholarship scheme in play prior to Whitlam was the best designed to provide the optimum result- as evidenced by the fact that our Australian university graduates were up till that point the best and most sought after in the world, rather than the utter mediocrity of the current and recent crops of graduates churned out in our tertiary system as it has evolved).

      So, please enlighten us. I think you use the Left/right paradigm as a crutch. it helps you to avoid thinking too deeply about anything- hiding your mediocrity amongst the safe bosom of the collective.

      350

    • #

      FIN, 50% of the electorate agree with me on the climate issue. We are the sensible centre. You have nothing but namecalling and an audacious bluff.

      But this confusion is typical of people who think in groups. You need to ask better questions. Ask Australians if wind turbines in Albany will stop floods in Bangladesh, and we’ll find out who is “extreme”.

      But 8% of Queenslanders might agree with you. “congrats”.

      People do want fairness, and “not what a small extreme minority want” so give it up, OK?

      463

      • #
        Winston

        How dare you not submit to the ‘wisdom’ of an elite anointed few, Jo. How incredibly “ultra right wing” of you.

        170

        • #
          Andrew McRae

          This disagreement with the mandatorily respected ones simply must not stand.
          It’s not just personally repulsive…it’s…. politically incorrect.
          It’s ideologically unsound!
          It’s…uh…very uncool.

          May I borrow some of your umbrage as I seem to have misplaced my own.

          80

    • #

      Maybe it escaped FIN’s attention but Australians elected the Abbott led coalition to govern Australia for three years.

      Why can’t Lefties like FIN just accept that the Abbott led Coalition has a mandate to govern Australia for three years, after which time WE the VOTERS will decide the next government. Not FIN, not THEIR ABC, and not the unions.

      I like FINS’s dopey illustrations of HIS position politics with assertions like:

      Extreme right wing/Tea party/neo-con agenda.
      Thoroughly rejected by the electorate.
      Nova’s far right wing blog.
      An ultra right wing agenda which Abbott represents.

      Get these from the children at getup?

      Thankfully, what seems obvious to FIN is not shared by the majority of Australian.

      190

      • #
        gnome

        In what way will whatever happens tomorrow change the results of the last election?

        Those elected will still be elected. How they organise themselves is in their own hands.

        You may not like the Constitution one day, and revere it the next, but that’s why it took so long to write, and why it takes so much trouble to alter.

        40

    • #
      toorightmate

      FIN. you intellectual genius.
      You have convinced me.
      I will now follow something right down the middle -p like Bob Ellis’ blog.

      70

    • #
      James Murphy

      This is a “far right wing” blog?

      Are you stupid, or is this a joke?

      You really should get out more. See the world, experience something for yourself, learn to think for yourself, and, above all, get some perspective. Currently, you seem to be incapable of knowing what “far right wing” is, even if you fell over it.

      80

    • #
      farmerbraun

      You are Julia Gillard and I claim my basket of carbon credits.

      40

  • #
    Bodge It An Scarpa

    If Turnbull is elected PM, I will go one step further than withdrawing my support for the LNP. I will renounce my Australian citizenship and use my British citizenship to vacate what will become ‘this god forsaken hole ‘, and move to another Commonwealth country that hasn’t become so damn collectively dumb as this one ! Australia will be STUFFED for what remains of my lifetime .

    180

    • #
      FIN

      Bet you don’t. Hah!

      122

      • #
        Winston

        I’ll take that bet. I would rather vote for the Greens than for Malcolm Turnbull, having watched Greece and Spain fall under Goldman Sachs alumni I refuse to be responsible for installing yet another “bankster” stooge in power in a former Western democracy. If the Liberal power brokers don’t think we are serious, they are in for a rude awakening. Canada is looking better by the day.

        170

        • #
          James Murphy

          This is what I don’t understand about the Greens and Labor supporters, they think Turnbull is brilliant, yet he actually represents everything they despise – he’s an exceptionally rich, successful banker.

          I remain convinced that the only reason his name started appearing nation-wide during the republic referendum was because he thought he could buy himself the presidency, not because he really wanted a republic as such.

          The world has indeed gone mad. I am glad i do not live in Australia any more, but I am also very disturbed by the political, economic, and social decline of what was once a decent country, not to mention the plummeting education standards.

          50

      • #
        James Bradley

        FIN,

        Labor/Green Business Plan:

        Step 1. Encourage building Green Alternative Energy Plants that supply 8% of energy required to replace coal/gas fired plants.

        Step 2. Coal/gas fired plants continue to produce 92% of energy required due to shortfall in alternative output.

        Step 3. Tax-payer now pays for coal and gas fired energy while paying all Green Alternative Energy Plant establishment, running costs, and profits.

        No wonder you love them, FIN.

        172

      • #
        toorightmate

        FIN old buddy,
        The centre of the political spectrum changes. It always has and it always will.
        In that respect, it is a bit like climate.

        Carbon dioxide has as much influence on where the “centre” of the political spectrum is as it does on climate.

        50

      • #
        The Backslider

        Bet you don’t. Hah!

        I bet he does. I already have, over 8 years ago when….. guess?

        30

      • #
        Angry

        “FIN”…….a USEFUL IDIOT…..

        Try “thinking” for once in your life, you MAY come to enjoy it one day..

        20

    • #
      Dan

      That is exactly what I did when the clowns (ALP/Greens/Unions) were in charge. I could no longer tolerate watching a good country and wonderful people being destroyed by the socialists assisted by the ABC and other main-stream media outlets. There appeared to be nothing anyone could do or was willing to do to stop the lies and manipulation and bad policies of the ALP.

      Having said that I am extremely disappointed with the Liberals. Despite having an obstructionist Senate they have wasted much of the goodwill of many voters by trying to appease the Q&A crowd, and Abbott needs a good kick up the arse.

      I now live in NZ.

      140

    • #
      gnome

      Is that you Tony A? Thanx for dropping in here and letting us know how much you really value this country.

      01

  • #
    Catamon

    The last we want is an ultra right wing agenda which Abbott represents.

    The evidence indicates the best way to combat that agenda is to keep Abbott in the big chair as PM through to 2016. 🙂

    Fascinating that with all the demonisation of the “left media” on the various RWNJ sites, its the right wing of politics that is driving the push to get rid of Abbott.

    323

    • #
      FIN Seri

      Wow, you too?!So a move to Turnbull would be a move to the right? Hah, you’re kidding, you must be!

      62

    • #
    • #
      the Griss

      [snip]

      Abbott is centre-left.

      Getting crowded for your mob over there isn’t it..

      …. pushed further and further into insane ultra-left [snip]

      Much further and you will be Milne’s bed-fellow… enjoy the concept, [snip] !! 😉

      Or maybe you would prefer “conversing” with Hanson-Young. 😉

      00

  • #
    Hasbeen

    This would be amusing, if it weren’t so serious.

    Labor supports have pushed the point, with a great deal of media support, & may have convinced a few dumber coalition members that Abbott must go.

    Hell they even have their favored Turnbull as a front runner. They would actually love to have him as their leader. God knows they need one, & even a Turnbull would be better than what they have.

    Their love of Turnbull is swinging the opinion polls, despite the fact they would never vote Liberal.

    If they pull this off they know they have the next election in the bag. No thinking person, probably about 35% of coalition voters, would ever vote for a party lead by Turnbull. None would ever trust him to do what’s necessary, or to be smart enough to understand what needs doing.

    Yes he sure suits labor, cunning as a S### house rat, but understands very little. This could kill the Liberals for ever.

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    • #
      Catamon

      “Labor supports have pushed the point, with a great deal of media support, & may have convinced a few dumber coalition members that Abbott must go.”

      This is the fascinating thing about this situation. People are all reading it through their own political filters. Some thicker than others 🙂

      You may want to consider that for those on the “center left” which is pretty much the ALP support base, they are mainly totally happy and eager for the Abbott Hockey “team” to continue in place, at least until well after the Budget in May.

      This would mean that the Libs are more likely to continue to impale themselves on and bleed over ……… well pretty much every issue they touch if recent history is anything to go by. For a center left supporter its a joy to see them locked into their “its the messaging, not the message” delusion.

      As they say the best cure for a dose of the RWNJ is a short dose of the RWNJ. 🙂

      Any replacement for Abbott will give them a relative bounce fer sure, but thats mainly because their polling is soooooooooo way in the pits now. With Turnbull that bounce would be biggest, but the gloss will rub off Turnbull pretty fast. How fast depends on the compromises he has to make on policy and how much noise the RWNJobbies like Bernardi make. It may not last much past May if they repeat a lot of the 2014 budget stuff.

      And people should not discount Morrison and Bishop as contenders when shove come to pusheth. NOTHING that is said about running or not running in the lead up to a leadership spill means ANYTHING so watch for the odd dark horse to pop up behind the color, sound and movment generated by Turnbull.

      The only certainty in all this is that the price of popcorn will go up. 🙂

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      • #
        Winston

        Such a long post Catamon, and what might be good for the welfare of the country or the health of the economy never came up once. All you care about is which ‘side’ is winning. Colour me surprised.

        192

        • #
          Catamon

          You really are a bit of a bit of a thickie aren’t you Winston?

          Implied in my statement is that the good of the country is best served by the remarkably ineffective Abbott staying in place for now.
          That way people get a good dose where it hurts of what having Tories in power actually means, and then we get an ALP Govt in 2016 that actually knows how to do policy. Also the Libs get another chance to clean out the RWNJ element and come back closer to the center of politics. That makes for a better opposition and better governance overall.

          One positive in all this is of course that we are seeing a lot of people getting their just deserts. 🙂 The conniptions, idiocy and hypocrisy evident on the various RW sites i have been checking out. Piers, Devine, Bolt, Planet Janet. Pure Gold. 🙂

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          • #
            Winston

            How dishonest you are, Cat. If that were so, the Labor/Green alliance would happily allow all those “right wing measures” through the senate, at least in some form or another to allow the electorate the full measure of these dreaded right wing policies.

            But no, instead we have vandals who sabotaged the economy either through ignorance or malice, who then block any legislation, no matter how minor, to sabotage any semblance of redress of the problem they created. That is poisoning the well and making the Australian people drink it.

            It is “clever” politics, and will likely succeed, but don’t pretend that you give a flying fig about whether the country is ruined or not, because you and I know that you would rather be leading an Australia that resembled Zimbabwe, than to be in opposition in the wealthiest economy in the world.

            I, on the other hand, would cheer if Labor were in power but managed the economy well, allowing the country to prosper and grow under their auspices. Pity it is never going to happen.

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      • #
        bobl

        Hmm, mods – this might be free political speech, but it sounds pretty defamatory to me, for example describing Cory Bernadi directly seems to me to A. Not be true, B. Not be in the public interest, making it defamation. I think you should snip that attack

        11

        • #
          Catamon

          Seriously bobl? This is Beasty Boy Bernardi your talking about?? Lol! 🙂

          “There are even some creepy people out there… [who] say it is OK to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals.

          “Will that be a future step? In the future will we say, ‘These two creatures love each other and maybe they should be able to be joined in a union’.

          “I think that these things are the next step.”

          The guy is a genuine nutbagger who gives extreme nuntbaggers a bad name.

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  • #
    Graham Richards

    Ever since Turnbull supported the CARBON TAX /ETS CAPER and was deposed as leader I have not trusted him & never will trust him again.

    With the character traits that he displays would make an excellent Labour minister however that is not likely to happen as even the laborites do not TRUST him.

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    Jac

    Can’t wait to hear Turnbull say, “There will be no ETS under the Government I lead”.

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    warcroft

    If Turnbull wins we will have Labor, Greens and the Libs all on the left.
    Who do we vote for then?

    Rise Up Australia Party?
    Australian Tax Payers Alliance?
    Who we going with?

    If the rights votes start getting fragmented we will never win another election!

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    • #
      King Geo

      The UK have UKIP [UK Independence Party] – the only right wing party in the UK.

      If the LIBS in Oz move to the left under Turnbull then a party like UKIP may emerge, e.g.

      LTAP [Low Tax Australian Party] with the main policy being promoting business and jobs with lower taxation thresh-holds with a lot less government bureaucracy.

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    • #
      clive

      Pauline Hanson said 17 years ago that immigration was not good for our country and she was right!Why do the LNP and Leibor-Greens fear her?

      40

      • #
        Angry

        Exactly !

        Multiculturalism has just worked out SO WELL for Australia….

        NOT !

        Try visiting Western Sydney !

        20

    • #
      Greg Cavanagh

      I was tempted to vote for the Australian Sex party this year, and they are looking increasingly more like the only party I could put a vote behind.

      02

  • #
    Yonniestone

    I’m always amazed when the leftist/warmist trolls get a sniff of possible problems with anything remotely associated with conservative politics they appear like vultures waiting for a safe opportunity to get a bite, it’s a shame such efforts aren’t shown towards genuine scientific debate as such ventures might garner a modicum of respect from real people…..I said maybe.

    I know I’ll regret this but a question for the trolls, have you and your ilk always taken a masochistic approach to your welfare?

    To make things easier a brief outline,
    – Breaking a bone as a kid was great because you got to skip classes?
    – Crashing a car is good so you can stick it to greedy insurance companies despite paying higher premiums?
    – Unprotected sex is ok as disease treatments will be government supplied despite the discomfort or risk of death?
    – Losing another job is fine as you’ll get the dole and have more time to troll blogs despite facing the humiliation of Centrelink?

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  • #
    crakar24

    BREAKING NEWS

    Labor premier calling for royal commission into building nuclear power stations in SA, this includes enrichment and storage…..this from the renewable wonderland!!!

    100

    • #
    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Sorry crakar24:

      It is Jay Weatherall speaking. Could mean anything from a nuclear dump site to banning uranium sales. Nuclear power station? This is the guy who wants to EXPAND wind capacity because wind is cheap??? (why has SA got the most wind and the most expensive electricity?). Unless someone got him in a corner and pointed out that wind was bloody useless and the only way to eliminate CO2 was nuclear, and that would have taken 2 weeks and a blunt instrument, there is no hope of a nuclear power station. They will claim wind works while pulling as much brown coal fired power from Victoria as they can.

      He’s not going to ban uranium sales as Roxby Downs would shut down and the local economy would go from very sick to terminally ill. I suspect he wants to get money in return for a nuclear waste site somewhere in the far north of the State. Either that or he thinks SA could become the home of glow in the dark wrist watch makers.

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    • #

      “Luke warmner” Barry Brook has been exerting a lot of pressure over the past um… is it a decade now? … on the nuclear power options.

      It’s a real shame because I’m a bit of a NIMBY – (Nuke in My Back Yard)

      30

    • #
      James Murphy

      This is interesting, but really, all I see from the corrupt and morally/financially bankrupt Labor government in SA is another way to make lawyers rich by holding yet another royal commission which will do nothing at all for anyone, and be ignored if it actually found that nuclear energy could be a good thing.

      Weatherill and his shonky cabinet are to be trusted to do what is good for SA about as much as an arsonist can be trusted to conserve the matches…

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  • #
    Catamon

    Oh doGs!! Massive disappointment.

    I hear that Jo Hockey is doing the numbers for Tony Abbott?

    Thats it then. All over red rover. 🙁

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    Catamon

    Oh doGs!! Massive disappointment.

    I hear that Jo Hockey is doing the numbers for Tony Abbott?

    Thats it then. All over red rover. 🙁

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    • #
      Popeye26

      Catamon

      You got a red tick from me for both the above posts.

      I know the second one was in error BUT it still felt REALLY good giving you two for such irrelevant C..P.

      Cheers,

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  • #
    john robertson

    Question from Canada.
    Who is agitating for Abbott to go?
    Are the Liberal “leadership” poll obsessed?
    I ask because polls are complete rubbish here.
    Simple test, who do you know, who answers opinion polls?
    Everyone I know is too busy working/living to voluntarily waste time with these lying ragbags.
    Polls consistently under estimate conservative support here, possibly because conservatives do not respond to pollsters.

    Also the media party playbook; progressives good/conservatives evil.
    When Mr Harper won the first minority government our media was constantly speculating over his demise, their derangement syndrome is still blatant.
    As noted above, it is real interesting how crusted on parasites are always quoted as experts, by their media buddies, on how their opponents can better govern.
    Sounds like your insecure politicians are panicking over the opinion of pimps and presstitutes.

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    • #
      Hat Rack

      John, you ask “Who is agitating for Abbott to go?”

      Short answer – the media.

      Jo summed it up beautifully in a previous post – “The ABC sets the tone, determines what is omitted or downplayed in the news, and coordinates the progressive talking points.”

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    • #
      James Bradley

      John,

      Predominant Left Wing media are setting the agenda because they don’t like being wrong eg: can’t turn back the boats, everyone wants the carbon tax etc etc.

      Well, Abbott stopped the boats and recinded the carbon tax – two of the mainstays of Australian Labor/Green Policies – dismantled when they said it was impossible. Hence the media frenzy to discredit him at every turn. All Gillard had to cope with was a sign at a rally that read Ditch the Witch and an appropriate nick-name Juliar.

      Abbott had to resisit death threats, ‘f#ck Abbott’ tee shirts advertised and sold through Fairfax media, his daughter’s private education history exposed illegally, the Guardian releasing whistleblower information to the ABC which was decisions made by Labor/Green on spyinf in Indonesia which was made to look like Abbott did it, a scandle at the Mannus Island detention centre under the Labor/Green Governemnt that an inquiry into was discretly delayed by the very left wing Commissioner of Human Rights until Abbott was in powewr – again to discredit he and his government.

      Some stupid decisions from Abbott that never had any real affect, but have given ammunition to the media to hype up the situation along with the media decidedly supporting a left wing Turnbull.

      Latest news polls have growing support for Turnbull and decreasing support for Mr. Abbott.

      Unfortunatley the polls only reflect the views of Labor/Green voters who would love nothing better than to see Abbott fall – the same rabid dogs who tore into the memory of Margaret Thatcher when she died and reverred Gough Whitlam whose only real claim to fame is that he was advised he wasn’t good enough to get on in the Liberal Party, but could be a king in the Labor party because it was, and still is, bereft of talent, inteligence and imagination – the things that come from being a professional student on the public teat until graduating through to the union movement and being fostered up the ladder because of ythe ability to eith suck ar$e or take it up the ar$e.

      Again unfortunately the mainstream politician is only out for longevity and a lucrative retirement fund with various board memberships and free travel at the expense of the good of the country. What the Liberal backbenchers moving the spill don’t understand is that the supporters moving the media and the newspolls towards Turnbull will never vote Liberal anyway with or without Turnbull. The only ground of support will be the presuure from Labor/Greens for Turnbull to back and ETS. He is a merchant banker with a lot of skin to make out of that game – so he is after the ETS right or wrong – our own little Lord Fontleroy Al Gore. Just another bunch of incompetent, obsequious, grubbing little lick-spittles scuttling after the next vote.

      If they dump Mr. Abbott for Turnbull, I got a 100 acres out bush with commanding views, and a couple of big dams with spring water. I’m quite happy to build a big workshop, fit it out, and go back to engineering to build muscle cars and super bikes for fun and profit all in the name of C.Ash.

      As Kerry Packer famously once said – they’re not doing a good enough job with my money for me to give them anymore than I have to.

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      el gordo

      John

      It appears that Dennis Jensen deliberately raised the issue on the ABC 7.30 Report because he had been getting lots of phone calls from his constituents who think Abbott is not a good PM.

      They may have been influenced by the leader’s poor polling, but more likely they made up their own minds.

      20

  • #
    Dariusz

    You projecting again. Orwell summarised this as a double talk.
    Your diatribe after many years of the communist hate propaganda that I had endure I can translate easily by using double negatives i.e. “what is bad is good and vice versa”
    ” Extreme right wing/Tea party/neo-con agenda” means extreme left wing/Green Party/commie-con agenda” that you really want to impose.
    ” rejected by the electorate” means not rejected by the electorate
    “Nova’s far right wing blog” means Nova,s is not far right wing blog.
    “An ultra right wing agenda which Abbott represents” means Abbott does not represent ultra right wing agenda.
    As said I lived in your paradise for many years and it was full of people like you. Suggest to go to Cuba or North Korea for a present day lesson. In these countries nothing is overwhelmingly rejected by the electorate because there is no electorate and nothing to reject.

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    BilB

    Thanks for making that an easy drag and drop list, Jo.

    It is time that these people started getting the real Global Warming and Climate Action message with genuine costings on how the public have been impacted by their stupid environment decisions.

    It is time that LNP members had their anti science head bubbles popped to allow real information to flow into their brains. These lists will help with that process.

    I sense from your progressively more desperate articles that you yourself already know that the denialist anti science message can no longer be maintained against the flood of global warming evidence flowing in as it is affecting every one where ever they reside. So I am curious to learn, having finally been defeated on this campaign what your next project will be? Are you going to move onto the antivax theme, or take up creationism full time?

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    • #

      Bilb, happy to help you dish out your incoherent bucket of smear. My sympathies. Keep writing I say. Keep writing. Your rabid name-calling is just what skeptics need to show how pathetic your reasoning is. Perhaps I should list the Op-Ed daily papers as well?

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      • #
        BilB

        Oh? Do you mean denialist? That is not name calling, I really don’t understand your objection. You are, I believe, a science communicator. This roll involves conveying a complete appreciation of knowledge, not just half of it. You prefer to think of youself by the euphemism of “skeptic”, and that is fine for you own belief structure, but as a professional communicator your duty is to convey a complete understanding of the science that you engage with, something which you routinely fail to do. This means that you regularly put across only that information that serves some other purpose, thereby denying your audience a complete appreciation of many of the subjects covered. Professonals are required to declare the shortcomings of their work particularly where the work is intentionally distorted.

        So you see I am bemused at your rejection of the denialist salutation, particularly as it so often (though not always) appropriate.

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        • #

          Bilb, of course you don’t understand my objection. You’d need to be able to read and write English. No more from you until you justify your usage of the “denialist” term on a science blog. A denier, denies something. Name the empirical observations that we deny. Until then, don’t bother. Those who can’t write accurate English contribute nothing scientific,and the inflammatory language is a bore that derails conversation.

          Sincere apologies will be accepted.

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        • #
          Angry

          “BilB”,

          As soon as you start using the emotive offensive term “denialist” you lose all credibility !

          This is all we have come to expect from fanatical true believers of the GLOBAL WARMING CULT.

          40

        • #
          Rereke Whakaaro

          BILB,

          Can you please define the term, “denialist” for us?

          For some reason, The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary makes no mention of the word.

          Unless, of course the suffix, “ist”, is used to denote the study of something, in which case it would be a constructed word meaning, “the study of denial”, which, from the gist of your comment, would appear to apply to you.

          30

        • #
          Sean McHugh

          Arrrghhh! As I was doodling with the mouse and I accidentally clicked the green thumb. Sorry.

          Seeing as I’m here.

          @ Bilb:

          Oh? Do you mean denialist? That is not name calling

          We’ll get back to that.

          My interest in the climate wars and politics is pretty recent. For about two decades I studied religion – as a sceptic. There’s heaps of my sceptical debating still on the Net. It was actually the Jehova’s Witnesses that pushed the launch button. They used to come around, telling me about the imminent Armageddon. They would ask, “Have you noticed that there are more wars and disasters (end-time signs)?” I would say, “No, I haven’t!”.

          Now they would knock on my door about once every two years, until they started avoiding my house altogether. But even when they came I could say, “Sorry, I’m not interested, I’m busy.” Instead I would invite them in and offer them coffee and a chat.

          But climate prophets are different. They too have an Armageddon and a similar pitch, but unlike their relatively benign cousins, they are everywhere and in some way in your face everyday. They are on the radio, in the papers, on TV, in Wiki and in social gatherings. They are more snide and more boorish than their theological counterparts. There is no escaping them. Even this morning, I was driving to work and saw on the dash that the outside temperature was 21 degrees. Almost straight away, the hostess (or whatever) on radio said to the bloke, “But isn’t it still warm at this time of the morning for this time of year?” It’s as if she saw me looking. I wanted to drive into a tree. It seemed the only way to escape them.

          Climate Witnesses and their PC friends drew my attention away from Christianity – to them. They are ultra zealous super pests – swarming monster mosquitoes whining around your ears and pockets. There is no Aerogard that can dispel them.

          Getting back to the non-name-calling. I take it you won’t mind being called a Climate Witness? Ever thought of doing a brief case and magazines?

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            the Griss

            I remember once when I was much younger, 14 or so.

            A pair of Jovies called at our place, and dad who has studied the bible as a historic text, spent 3 hours “educating” them, very politely of course.

            I think he may have converted them to atheism. 🙂

            Odd, but we never once had another visit from the Jovies.

            Dad said, “3 hours of fun, well spent 🙂

            20

    • #
      Yonniestone

      [snip]

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      Dariusz

      I am geologist that reconstructs the palaeoclimates on regular basis and you want to call me a creationist?
      Your abusive post attests to your desperation and the “burn the denier burn”inquisitional attitude that you profess to not possess. While so much vile if you know that you are right?
      If we are so insignificant then saving the planet should be no a problem for you.

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    • #

      Ah, BilB,

      you just don’t realise how lucky you are right now.

      A couple of years from now, you’ll look back on this and think how lucky you really were to use the name Bilb, and not use your real name. You’ll be so embarrassed, and so thankful that no one knew who you really were, the only way you will have escaped the humungous embarrassment of all this.

      Don’t you even realise that the people who you have implicitly placed so much faith in have hoodwinked you. If there was such a problem, they would have immediately shut down the source of all those CO2 emissions. Not one single one of them has said this is what needs to be done, and done immediately to save us all.

      And you, well you don’t even see that at all.

      You poor hoodwinked sucker you.

      Thank heavens you used the name BilB. We will all still be laughing at you, but thankfully for you, anonymously, just another of those people so unsure of themselves that they use fake names to cover their a$$es.

      You’ve been had mate.

      We all know it.

      You don’t ….. yet, and when you do find out, you’ll be so relieved.

      Tony.

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      the Griss

      You need to correct your spelling of your name.

      It should be bilge

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      James Murphy

      You, and your wilfully ignorant ilk keep claiming that the LNP is ‘anti science’. I am disgusted by the collective dismissal of the importance of R&D funding, and I desire a genuine improvement to education standards in Australia. I know this is not happening under the LNP, but how was Labor any better?

      How exactly was Labor ‘pro-science’? Could you list a few examples of how they genuinely encouraged research and development in Australia during their last terms in government?

      How about you apply some scientific methodology (if you know what that is), and back up your claims with impartial observations of R&D funding as a whole.

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  • #
    Catamon

    “Who is agitating for Abbott to go?”

    His parties back-benchers and mostly the RW commentators. Left wing of politics in Australia wants him to stay on as he is fwarking toxic for Liberal / RW of politics.

    “I ask because polls are complete rubbish here.”

    Here, there is quite a lot of history of the polling aggregates being reasonably good guides, IF you take them in context.

    Any one poll doesn’t mean much.

    There is a lot of debate about WHY they are behind. Pretty much colored by the participants political leanings as i’m sure you can imagine. 🙂

    Lots of it is based around them trying, hard, to do things that they said they wouldn’t before the election, and being made to look stupid when failing to do it.

    And in their 2014 budget last May, they were seen to have an interesting take on the concept of “fairness”.

    BUT, the main problem for the current Liberal Govt (the MP’s are looking to their jobs after all) is that they have been consistently behind in the poll aggregates since December 2013 at around 48-52. That’s what has them frightened as it looks like a lot of people have made up their minds against them and have now disengaged quite possibly until the next election is called.

    And now that they are in Govt, some pent up disputes WITHIN the Liberal Party seem to be coming out to play. They had iron discipline in opposition, but are finding that Governing is different and dont seem to be adapting well. A lot could be due to them believing their own propaganda from opposition. Always a bad sign.

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    • #
      ianl8888

      Here, there is quite a lot of history of the polling aggregates being reasonably good guides, IF you take them in context

      Utter tripe

      The pollsters are corrupt in the context of abuse of power through commissioned public megaphones. Multiple-choice answers, none of which go to truth or even accuracy; “none-of-the-above” answers insultingly treated as “don’t know”; loaded questions; refusal to publish all the demography; vanishingly small samples trumpeted as the views of the “general public”

      No, I’m not advocating some political party stance or other. I despise our bureaucrats and politicians of any stripe at all three levels. Opinion polls are commissioned as, and used as, propaganda

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      Glen Michel

      Well Catamon you may well reflect on the polling of the previous Goverment.The polity is in decline and with it democracy.

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  • #
    Catamon

    “Are the Liberal “leadership” poll obsessed?”

    Well, they are when they have a leader who says things like this:

    “No one, however smart, however well-educated, however well experienced, is the suppository of all wisdom.”

    You have to have a bit of sympathy for them actually. 🙁

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    • #
      Winston

      I agree with whatever the Prime Minister say. I don’t know what she said, but whatever it is I agree with it. Fan-freaking-tastic. Pot meet kettle, and saucepan and wok while you are at it.

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        Andrew McRae

        I agree with whatever the Prime Minister say. I don’t know what she said, but whatever it is I agree with it.

        I didn’t know about this, I had to look it up, it’s a Shortenism.

        Top marks to Shorten for saying it with absolutely straight face. No sense of irony or shame, he makes parody obsolete.
        When I saw it, for a few seconds I thought it was a comedy skit made by an actor that was a perfect doppelganger of Shorten… but no, it’s all real. Truth is stranger than fiction.

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      Rereke Whakaaro

      Can you please give us a source reference for that quote? I would personally find it very useful. Thanks.

      00

  • #
    Andrew McRae

    So 50% of Australia are CAGW skeptics?
    Here is a little example. Look at the first (and currently the only) two comments on this story: Skier falls through frozen siberian lake

    A cross-country ice skier took a freezing plunge into a Siberian lake when the surface cracked beneath him and he fell into the -15 degree Celsius water. …

    2 Comments
    ———
    2 hours ago
    Eugene00198218
    -15 degree liquid water? I think not.
    ———
    4 hours ago
    Diane Allan
    Just the start. Lots of things will have to change because of global warming

    Yes the warmists and the skeptics seem to be equally represented… so far. 😉

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    MadJak

    Well if there is another coup tomorrow, John Key – PM of New Zealand will meet the 5th sworn in Australian PM during his time in the top job in NZ.

    I am not a big fan of abbott, but it is clear that it seems all canberra politicians are more obsessed with their own self interests than having respect for the position of PM. I really do not agree that a PM should be distracted from the top job because the people around him/her are obsessed with gaining power and covering their own backsides.

    btw – I dunno what happened to my previous post…

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    • #

      NZ is doing pretty well. A few years ago I had a trip around the South Island. Exchange rate $NZ1.30=$A1.00 now $NZ1.05=$A1.00 I think visits there to the Doctor cost an additional $NZ15.00. NZ does not have the mineral resources of Aus nor the scale of anything here but the economy is being managed better than here. Their main drawback is the very poor election scheme which puts MP’s into parliament who have not been elected. When they voted on the election scheme they were only given a choice of the worst types of schemes a bit like our poor choice of an anthem.

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        MadJak

        Completely agree there cementafriend. One of the reasons we left NZ was the fact that there were MPs who were in parliament who no one had actually voted for – case in point Sue Bradford.

        Ironically even with such a system, they have a more stable government than over here. How weird is that?

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        • #
          Rereke Whakaaro

          … they have a more stable government than over here.

          Ahem, that may be because they have access to professional, independent researchers and advisors, not that I could possibly comment, or course.

          00

  • #
    FIN

    Government can’t just be a culture war, a raised fist against modernity, it requires focus and direction.

    From a journo today I think, sums Abbott up beautifully. What an archaic moron he is. Takes some talent to screw things up this bad.

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    • #

      Said with all the intellectual substance and wit we have come to expect from you “FIN”.

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      Andrew McRae

      The journo being Kartharine Murphy, a journo who feels no qualms about telling you what to think of Tony Abbott while at the same time assuring you she’s not trying to tell you what to think:

      It can be a piece of simple iconography: here is the poster child of modern terrorism – this far barbarism, and no further. Or it can be an emblem of a really serious bureaucratic bungle on the Coalition’s watch. Take your pick. I don’t intend to tell you how to think, just supply the backstory you could easily have missed. It’s quite obvious which version the government prefers, and why it prefers it.

      And what tenuous mudslinging was there from this strictly clinical and unbiased research:

      Evidently a significant customs and security failure early in the life of the newly elected Abbott government contributed to a convicted terrorist and person of interest slipping out of the country and making his way to participate in an overseas conflict.

      So there you go, Tony Abbot is singlehandedly responsible for a famous photo from a terrorist of a child holding a freshly severed human head. But I’m not telling you what to think, just passively-aggressively giving you the backstory you could have misssed.

      Now what other pearls of advice has she given to Abbott:

      That government lasted more than a decade, in part due to Howard’s effective management of internal dynamics – which included, at times, having the confidence and wisdom to allow himself to be “managed” to different positions by cabinet colleagues. …
      As I’ve said it’s early days, but Abbott would be wise to ensure he doesn’t fall into the trap Labor fell into when making the transition from opposition to government – of seeing any appearance of contention as the enemy. He’d be really unwise to misdiagnose the true nature of Labor’s problems over the past six years.

      If Murphy were being completely consistent with her advice, she would be in favour of Abbott remaining prime minister and allowing any dissent within the party on specific issues to be aired instead of crushed and for Abbott to be seen to compromise on some of them as a result.

      Hey, I like this Katharine Murphy already, she gives great advice, thanks FIN!

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    janama

    I must say I was surprised to see Niki Savva throw Abbott under a bus this morning on Insiders.

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      toorightmate

      Does this help to debunk the theory that Murdoch controls everything other than Fairfax, ALP and/or ABC (is there a distinction between these three entities?)?

      60

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      Glen Michel

      I agree with Savva – Abbott is better off going- as much as I loathe the disruption it brings; one thing is certain Abbott is a thorough liability.His wimping of the 18 c legislation disgusted me.

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      • #
        bobl

        Switching from Abbott to Lefty Lite Turnbull is hardly likely to see 18C fixed, and we’d be back to trying to stop Turnbull from enacting a Carbon Tax.

        Anyone that believes the Global Warming Propaganda is an unthinking scientifically illiterate troglodyte as far as I am concerned. It is debunked, yes you can feign some minimal concern to save the bacon but all out belief like the Member for Wentworth is tantamaount to blatant lies – I could never bring myself to vote for anyone who is willing to ignore the truth. I have personally emailed his nibs (Turnbull) with the clear math showing global warming to be overstated and not a problem, but he refuses to even acknowledge it. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR A TURNBULL GOVERNMENT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I have told my member this as well.

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      Catamon

      I must say I was surprised to see Niki Savva throw Abbott under a bus this morning on Insiders.

      janama, it makes more sense when you know that she has always been a Costello groupie and now appears to take her marching orders from Kroeger when there are no over-riding instructions from Uncle Rupert.

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  • #
    pat

    janama –
    why be surprised?

    news.com.au – homepage only. the mocking of the PM is pretty ugly.

    Top Story:

    Who Malcolm’s been talking to
    MALCOLM Turnbull, Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison conducted a private conversation today to discuss the party’s future leadership.

    Abbott admits “casual glance” at seek.com.au
    Prime Minister Tony Abbott has downplayed reports that he spent much of Sunday afternoon browsing employment classifieds website seek.com.au.

    4.50pm Australia’s PMs and how they lost office

    4.12pm Abbott’s slips and gaffes
    #1: PRINCE PHILIP KNIGHTMARE…etc

    Turnbull plays the waiting game
    A GROWING number of Liberal MPs believe Malcolm Turnbull will be a candidate for the party’s leadership – but many believe the Communications Minister is playing a clever tactical game

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    J.H.

    I think that anyone running for the Leadership position in a Liberal party spill has to resign their current ministership beforehand?….. So failure means the challenger is dumped to the backbench.

    I’m pretty sure that is how it works… So with Tony Abbott bringing forward the event, he has stymied any extra plotting… Turnbull or any other challenger has only today and tonight to figure out if they have concrete numbers or not.

    It will be an interesting day tomorrow…. If Turnbull and Bishop fail, they’ll lose their present ministries.

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    • #
      gnome

      No – the spill is only a motion for a spill. The leadership ballot comes at a later time, probably the next day.

      The numbers in favour of a spill will guide the ambitions of the pretenders.

      Julie Bishop will stand for deputy leader whoever gets up.

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    Gbees

    I’ve already written to my local member. If Turnbull is made leader I will not vote Liberal. Most likely I’ll switch my vote to Family First. Their policies are pretty close to conservative, especially their climate change policy.

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    pat

    meant to mention the News Ltd story ‘Abbott admits “casual glance” at seek.com.au; was, of course, satire…by The Chaser’s Charles Firth.

    and here’s Murdoch’s Business Spectator carrying Michelle Grattan’s piece from “The conversation”:

    ***ha ha ha, Michelle:

    6 Feb: Business Spectator: From The Conversation: Michelle Grattan: Abbott should step down in favour of Turnbull
    When Malcolm Turnbull appeared at Thursday night’s politics in the pub on the NSW central coast the first questioner demanded to know whether he was interested in being leader.
    Turnbull dodged around but he was particularly anxious to stress one point. Tony Abbott had had “more consistency and loyalty from the frontbench than any other Liberal leader in our lifetime”. The subtext was: the crisis in which Abbott is engulfed is not because he’s been undermined by colleagues — it’s his own work…
    ***So let’s put aside the impossible job of prediction, and consider what might be best for the party…
    If Abbott survives in the short term, it’s quite likely he’ll be kicked out later. If the party baulked at execution, on present indications the voters would undertake the task…
    http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/2/6/national-affairs/abbott-should-step-down-favour-turnbull

    that Malcolm is such a man of the people, and so statesman-like as well!

    40

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    Catamon

    “So failure means the challenger is dumped to the backbench.”

    No, a front bench position is the gift of the party room and i think by convention the Libs devolve the decision to the PM.

    In actuallity its the same as for the ALP but less up front. The various factions in the Libs all have to be kept happy with front bench positions and the new leader give lolly to supporters where he can.

    [ If Turnbull and Bishop fail, they’ll lose their present ministries ]

    Only if the spill gets up. If the positions are spilled then there is for a short time no leader to be loyal to. If Abbott wins a vote after a spill motion dumping ANY of the contenders would be seen as pointless revenge and put them outside the tent pissing in.

    Dont be surprised if it all fizzles monday morning with no change to anything…….except the Lib polling. 🙂

    65

  • #

    UPDATE: Spill vote is now Monday, not Tuesday. Turnbull has not resigned, but announced he will challenge if the spill vote passes, and is mocking Abbott. — Bolt Polls show Turnbull would deliver only a 6% bounce in the honeymoon. Not even enough to win a snap election.

    126

    • #
      Dennis

      Ambition (and ego) completely mixed up. Ask school mates and university observers.

      40

    • #
      Catamon

      Not even enough to win a snap election.

      Are we back to the “Election NOW” mantra? Seriously?

      If you are going to float that RWNJ idea, explain mechanism and likely timing or retract.

      211

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    pat

    now there’s absolute outrage over bringing forward the meeting!

    8 Feb: The Conversation: Michelle Grattan: Turnbull shapes up as backlash hits Abbott over bringing forward meeting
    (PHOTOCAPTION ) Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at an event on Sunday.
    Malcolm Turnbull has effectively flagged he would be a candidate if the leadership became vacant in a successful spill on Monday.
    Earlier, Tony Abbott brought forward the vote on the spill motion to Monday at 9am from the scheduled Tuesday party meeting…
    But the move backfired when some MPs publicly attacked it and Turnbull described it as a “captain’s call” – the language used previously to describe Abbott’s unilateral decisions, most recently the knighthood for Prince Philip…
    https://theconversation.com/turnbull-shapes-up-as-backlash-hits-abbott-over-bringing-forward-meeting-37327

    outrage at The Australian, too…tho this was originally:

    Sinodinos will support spill motion
    The Australian‎ – 4 hours ago

    now it is a CRISIS of HUGE proportions:

    8 Feb: Australian: David Crowe: Abbott leadership crisis: backlash over spill decision
    TONY ABBOTT has inflamed his critics by bringing forward a party vote on his future to early Monday morning, prompting a warning from Liberal figure Arthur Sinodinos hours after the Prime Minister tried to take his enemies by surprise.
    Mr Abbott’s decision sparked warnings from his colleagues as some of his critics said it showed he was “desperate” while some said he was not showing full respect for the Liberal party room…
    Senator Sinodinos confirmed to The Australian that he would vote in favour of the spill motion. Others who said they would back it included Victorian MP Sharman Stone and Western Australian MP Dennis Jensen…
    Others said Mr Abbott’s move would backfire because it showed he was failing to consult his colleagues even after he had pledged to be more “collegial” than before.
    “It shows he’s all over the place, he’s confused and he’s desperate,” said one MP.
    Another MP said the move would encourage Liberals to support the spill motion.
    “A lot of people who were going to vote against the spill motion will now vote for it because of this decision,” he said.
    “It’s about his pattern of behaviour. It’s about how he treats the party room.”..
    Mr Turnbull held back from directly criticising Mr Abbott’s decision but described it as a “captain’s call” by the Prime Minister.
    The remark lent weight to fears on the backbench that Mr Abbott was showing disrespect to the partyroom after strong criticism of other unilateral decisions such as the knighthood for Prince Philip on Australia Day…
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abbott-leadership-crisis-backlash-over-spill-decision/story-fn59niix-1227211972569

    that Knighthood propaganda worked a treat…

    50

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    Catamon

    Word is that Newspoll tonight is better than expected for Abbott?/

    Ye Hah say I. Thankyou Uncle Rupert. #ImStickingWithTony. 🙂

    314

    • #
      el gordo

      Rupert was supporting Turnbull, so the polls must be accurate.

      21

      • #
        Catamon

        so the polls must be accurate.

        For an election held this weekend they are likely bang on. But the circumstances under which the poll has been taken are somewhat “special”.

        Once we are through this round of #libspill, i think the polls will actually start meaning something again in about a month. the ones to watch are two to four weeks after the budget. If those are dire, this round of #libspill will look like a civilized afternoon tea. 🙂

        Also, watch Pyne and where he appears to align. He’s an odious twit, but has better cockroach type instincts than even Bishop.

        45

        • #
          el gordo

          Abbott should win this bout, but needs to lift his game quickly in the weeks ahead with infrastructureinfrastructureinfrastructure.

          30

  • #
    pat

    just for the record. i have no liking for the british royal family whatsoever, or any other monarchy. in fact, i completely ignore them unless they interfere in politics, such as Prince Charles does with CAGW.

    however, it makes no sense whatsoever that such a trivial matter has allegedly whipped the country into a frenzy, and it is even more pathetic when it comes from the murdoch media which obsesses over the royals continuously.

    102

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    pat

    ***the “influential” Conversation. btw who’s taking bets the Newspoll will be brought forward to Monday (it was due Tuesday, i thik)?

    7 Feb: SBS: The Conversation: Michelle Grattan: Comment: Liberals do a fine imitation of Labor chaos
    With the crucial vote not until Tuesday, anything can happen in this extraordinary volatile situation…
    On the other hand, the MPs will also be acutely aware of the evidence pointing to the dangers of retaining Tony Abbott. This includes the feedback they’re getting from their electorates, and the polling, of which there will be more between now and Tuesday, including the ***influential Newspoll…
    A Seven News ReachTEL poll done on Thursday night had the government trailing 45-55%.
    (HOW SCIENTIFIC)When people were asked how they’d vote if Malcolm Turnbull were leader there was a massive turnaround – the Coalition led 54-46%…
    http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/02/06/comment-liberals-do-fine-imitation-labor-chaos

    from Bolt blog:

    8 Feb: ABC quotes some pet troll to attack Abbott
    How low can the ABC go? In tonight’s main TV news bulletin it quoted anonymous twitter abuse of Tony Abbott by someone known only as “JS”.
    No one knows who this anonymous person is, or why their opinion is worth more than that of any other Australian. The reporter just fished the comment out of the sewer to attack Abbott.
    Would the ABC have ever quoted anonymous Twitter abuse of Julia Gillard?
    http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/abc_quotes_some_pet_troll_to_attack_abbott/

    61

  • #
    the Griss

    Because I can no longer attack trolls as they should be attacked, I pose the following questions..

    Who inundated Simpkins with complaints about Mr Abbott.

    Was it GetUp (linked to the UN)

    Or

    Was it a bunch of Turnbull supporters?

    Start looking deeper at where this really originated. !!

    QUESTIONS need to be asked.

    210

    • #
      Dennis

      The dark side consists of fellow travellers, strange bed fellows

      60

    • #
      Catamon

      ” Who inundated Simpkins with complaints about Mr Abbott.”

      Not me and if i find out who I will recommend to the Collective that they be kneecapped. 🙁

      Tony and Jo have a budget to do after all. 🙂

      312

    • #
      Yonniestone

      Griss I believe this may have all been hatched a while back in a room in Brussels.

      Nice to see you again ya grumpy sod. 🙂

      132

    • #
      James Bradley

      Griss,

      No conspiracy, no complaints, just a disgruntled backbencher with an axe to grind and the ABC provided him the stone.

      That’s all the media needed to take full flight and all Turnbull needed was his sympathetic supporters under his portfolio at the ABC smarting from Mark Scott’s re-organisation all blamed on Mr. Abbott and cost cutting.

      They forget that when they tap out the Finance Companies Valued Client AAA rating there wil be no money at all.

      None for public servants, none for hospitals, none for schools, none for alternative energy, and none for the ABC.

      70

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    Dennis

    For consideration: Turnbull spotted at a Canberra Chinese restaurant with Clive Palmer, and at a Beijjing China restaurant with the Rudd Family. Just two of sightings

    80

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    Greg Cavanagh

    I don’t understand any of this. I’ve never seen or heard of a spill vote. So, what’s been happening the last couple weeks, why don’t we have a vote count, or does that not matter for some reason ?

    31

    • #
      el gordo

      It was all rather quick and unexpected, the left wing twittersphere went bananas and there was a media frenzy.

      Spills have become more prevalent in recent times and I suspect it has something to do with the communications revolution we are experiencing.

      The whole thing is a beat up, a storm in a teacup.

      As much as the left hate Abbott they would rather see him in the hot seat until the election. The rationale being that the Labor/Green alliance would win back the Treasury Benches with him as leader.

      Malcolm is Labor Lite with strong Green sympathies, which may attract the six percent of swing voters into his camp. This would not be a good outcome for the leftards.

      72

    • #
      Catamon

      ” I don’t understand any of this. ”

      I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.

      Most likely outcome is failed spill motion, so no-one challenges, Tony still PM.

      Or the spill motion passes, Turnbull gets knocked out in the first round. Morrison gets up and Bishop becomes loyal girl to yet another Liberal leader.

      Or Bishop wins. 🙂 Morrison then bides his time and knocks her off later in the year with the help of the RWNJ / Happy Clapper element in the Libs that wont tolerate a woman up front.

      010

      • #
        Adam Smith

        Morrison said on Friday that he will not run for leader or deputy. Most likely he will end up as Treasurer with Turnbull as leader.

        07

        • #
          Catamon

          You believe him??

          IF the spill motion gets up (and i dont actually think it will) i’d say ALL previous commitments are dead and anything could be on the table.

          33

          • #
            Adam Smith

            Abbott’s leadership is completely ruined at least a third and maybe 40 or 45% of his partyroom will vote against him tomorrow which will show everyone how bitterly divided the government has become in such a short time.

            The only way that will be resolved will be the election of a new leader sometime later in the first half of this year.

            114

    • #
      Catamon

      http://kevinbonham.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/liberal-spill-and-poll-roundup-trouble.html

      A long but quite reasonable explanation of tomorrows happenings here Greg.

      23

  • #
    Catamon

    57-43 2PP to Labor
    Primaries: Coalition 35, Labor 41, Greens 12, Others 12
    Better PM: Abbott 30, Shorten 48
    Abbott: Satisfied 24, Dissatisfied 68
    Shorten: Satisfied 42, Dissatisfied 40

    Best to Lead Liberals:
    Abbott 25, Turnbull 64
    Abbott: 27, Bishop 59
    Turnbull 49, Bishop 38

    Feb 6-8, 1178 sample

    Wont make any difference as its only expectedly bad. 🙂 Spill motion probably fails.

    Go Tony Go!! 🙂

    54

    • #
      ianl8888

      Feb 6-8, 1178 sample

      You’ve made my point – a sample of that trivial size, coupled with determinedly simplistic questions, and you read tea leaves from it ?

      Superficial, trailer trash, akin to manipulated “reality TV”

      That this silly kerfuffle is about vanity (Abbott’s and Turnbull’s) is self-evident. That it is stupidly wounding to both is also self-evident, as is the malice of the MSM’s involvement (who commissions these “polls” ?)

      Such is the level of contemporary bread and circuses

      30

  • #

    Storm in a teacup. Stirred up far more than what it deserves by the left; especially the sheltered workshop of the A(LP)BC.

    Some back-benchers crack the whip on the PM to make him pay attention to those outside the inner circle.

    61

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    Adam Smith

    Either Abbott will lose the prime ministership tomorrow or he will lose it in a month or two.

    That’s the choice the Liberal MPs are making tomorrow. Do they get rid of Abbott tomorrow or wait a few more weeks.

    He has no chance of leading the Government to the next election.

    014

  • #
    pat

    interestingly, the following is attributed to AAP & a staff reporter, yet only Murdoch MSM carried it!
    guess Fairfax/ABC don’t want the public reminded about the cost of the RET to their electricity bills at this moment in time!

    6 Feb: Business Spectator: Govt, opposition reignite RET talks
    by AAP and a staff reporter
    The Abbott government has resumed talks with Labor over the renewable energy target three months after they broke down.
    The clean energy industry has been staring down the barrel of job cuts and failed businesses since Labor quit negotiations over government plans to slash the target…
    A Labor spokeswoman told Climate Spectator that no agreement had been reached from discussions yesterday, except to continue discussions.
    The RET mandates that 41,000 gigawatt hours of all electricity comes from renewables by 2020.
    The government wants to cut that target to about 27,000 gigawatts, arguing that due to changes in electricity demand and other factors the legislated figure would represent 27 per cent of energy use.
    Labor, the Greens and some crossbench senators oppose the cut. Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and other crossbenchers have their own plan that would remove the need for significant investment in renewables….
    “We’re willing to deal with a modest adjustment to the large-scale renewable energy target to keep it within the range of the mid to high 30 thousands – 30,000GWh by 2020,” Mr Butler said. “We don’t see any need justification for a change to the rooftop solar program and that remains our position.”…
    Mr Butler said emissions trading schemes were still the best way to tackle carbon pollution.
    “Only in the last few weeks, our third largest export partner, South Korea, started an emissions trading scheme, a legal cap on carbon pollution that then lets business work out the cheapest and most effective way to operate. The sort of system Malcolm has been arguing for for many, many years but appears willing to walk away from now, just to become Prime Minister, just to get the keys to The Lodge,” he said.
    http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2015/2/6/policy-politics/govt-opposition-reignite-ret-talks

    Daily Telegraph & Australian carried the extended Spectator version. Hobart Mercury & Courier Mail carried the shorter AAP version:

    AAP short version
    http://www.themercury.com.au/govt-oppn-reignite-ret-talks/story-fnj3twbb-1227209713800

    certainly, MSM has benefitted GREATLY from solar advertising, in particular.

    40

  • #
    The Backslider

    Dear Australian Politicians,

    I am definitely not returning to Australia.

    Kind Regards,

    The Backslider

    40

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    pat

    seems catamon got the Newspoll results. Australian, which has had no paywall (so u could read all the dirt on the PM and the love for Turnbull), is back behind a paywall for the poll.

    however, Lani and Lauren have a book-length piece:

    8 Feb: News Ltd: Leadership spill moved to Monday, Malcolm Turnbull says he ‘supports PM’
    By LANAI SCARR/LAUREN WILSON
    (IMMEDIATELY UNDER HEADLINE)
    VIDEO with Turnbull besieged by journalists/microphones: Turnbull reacts to PM’s spill call
    PRIME Minister Tony Abbott is facing an uphill battle after a Newspoll has revealed the Coalition’s worst polling ­figures, and Liberal MPs are divided on the leadership spill.
    The latest Newspoll, taken ­exclusively for The Australian, the Coalition’s primary vote down three points to an eight-month low of 35 per cent. Labor is up two points to 41 per cent.
    In two-party terms, the government’s vote went to 43 per cent with Labor on 57 per cent, which is the Coalition’s worst result since November 2009…
    Quizzed about another opinion poll showing the coalition would be better off with Malcolm Turnbull as leader, Mr Nikolic said: “So, let’s blow the joint up every six months because the polls are bad? What a ridiculous assertion.”…
    West Australian MP Dennis Jensen also confirmed that he would be voting in favour of a spill motion.
    “Yes I will,” Dr Jensen told News Corp Australia.
    Dr Jensen said that he believed Mr Turnbull would stand as a leadership candidate…

    (FINAL 3 PHOTOS:
    (1. GLAM PIC, BIG KISS) Colleagues today, perhaps enemies tomorrow … Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull greets Foreign Minister Julia Bishop at a $100 per head Liberal Party Bellevue Hill Branch fundraiser brunch.
    (2. ALL ALONE, EYES SHUT) Putting up a fight … Prime Minister Tony Abbott at his Sydney office today.
    (3. GLAM PIC #2) Malcolm Turnbull greets Julia Bishop (HANDSHAKE, BIG SMILES, NO KISS) as they arrive as guests at a $100 per head Liberal Party Bellevue Hill Branch fundraiser today..
    http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/leadership-spill-moved-to-monday-malcolm-turnbull-says-he-supports-pm/story-fnj3rq0y-1227211922478

    i could have bet on this poll coming out before the Monday meeting. and i could have predicted the results.

    20

  • #
    pat

    ***this was Lanai & Lauren’s headline, now changed to “Leadership spill moved to Monday, Malcolm Turnbull says he ‘supports PM’”, as has been happening all week at News Ltd:

    ***Abbott faces worst poll figures
    NEWS.com.au-42 minutes ago

    other headlines on the Newspoll forwarded to Monday!!!

    Abbott leadership crisis: Judgment day as Newspoll shows PM …
    The Australian-1 hour ago

    Abbott hits record low in poll
    SBS-11 minutes ago

    Newspoll delivers public’s indictment of Abbott as he faces Liberals’ verdict
    The Conversation AU – ‎22 minutes ago‎

    A chastened Tony Abbott has been put on notice
    The Australian – ‎20 minutes ago‎
    Many Liberal MPs will be tempted by Newspoll showing massive public support for a switch to Malcolm Turnbull or Julie Bishop.

    YET THERE IS THIS!!!

    Latest Newspoll: Coalition voters say no to Malcolm Turnbull
    The Daily Telegraph-47 minutes ago
    An exclusive Newspoll survey published today in The Australian reveals that Coalition voters have reacted angrily to the leadership spill with the majority still preferring Mr Abbott as leader.

    WILL WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET BEHIND THAT PAYWALL & POST THE COALITION FIGURES AGAINST MALCOLM TURNBULL, WHICH ARE SURELY THE MOST RELEVANT ASPECT OF THE NEWSPOLL RESULTS.

    70

  • #
    Athelstan.

    What Australians do in their backyard is their own business.

    From my viewpoint and from afar – I am askance at this concoction of smear and backstabbing. Tony Abbot is a pretty decent human being, OK he is given to shooting himself in the foot but the recent ‘incoming’ – is beyond comprehension and the pale. Hells teeth – Australian politics – I’d rather take a midnight swim in the Daly river than be a target of those scum sucking worms.

    Turnbull is a ratlike chancer who is beholden to the green mania and the lunacy of a world wide emissions trading empire – and where sharks and monster squids like Goldman Sachs: get to clean up.

    Not for a minute does it matter, to these alarmist freaks that an emissions trading scheme not only jeopardizes democratic freedom across the ‘western world’. But also, this madness of ETS; is an existential threat to all over our livelihoods because ETS will strap the manufacturing industrial sectors with enormous costs, the rump of which will line the pockets of corporates and despots and totalitarian regimes [PRC] throughout the world, thus is the UN redistribution scheme [aka agenda 21] made flesh.

    Turnbull, is a weasel who needs to be put back in his cage. Abbot must see him off – the world depends on it.

    162

  • #
    pat

    jo, would u be able to make this Tele article a new thread for tomorrow?

    just realised i could get some of the figures from the Tele article. surely, after all the MSM push for Turnbull, this should have been the headline everywhere:

    9 Feb: Daily Telegraph: Simon Benson: Latest Newspoll: Coalition voters say no to Malcolm Turnbull
    THE federal government is facing a grassroots revolt from the Liberal Party base, with MPs swamped over the weekend by angry constituents threatening to tear up their memberships if they roll Tony Abbott…
    An exclusive Newspoll survey published today in The Australian reveals that Coalition voters have reacted angrily to the leadership spill with the majority still preferring Mr Abbott as leader.
    While the poll showed the Government at a crisis levels with a two party preferred vote of 57/43 in favour of Labor, the Coalition party faithful still ranked Mr Abbott as preferred leader over Malcolm Turnbull by a margin of 54/40.
    Mr Turnbull emerged as the least popular among Coalition voters with Julie Bishop ranked second behind Mr Abbott…
    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/latest-newspoll-coalition-voters-say-no-to-malcolm-turnbull/story-fni0cx12-1227212437519

    only 5 comments when i posted this, but they definitely aren’t fans of Malcolm.

    100

  • #
    The Backslider

    Dear Australian Politicians,

    Please read the comments here to see what the average Australian thinks about climate change alarmism:

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/hot-weather-climate-change-to-blame-for-melbourne-heatwaves/story-fni0fit3-1227210906592

    Kind Regards,

    The Backslider

    80

  • #
    hunter

    Australians should beware. This has Obama’s and Cameron’s fingerprints all over it.

    123

  • #
    C.J.Richards

    Isn’t Tony Abbott one of the biggest bumps on the road to Paris ?
    If Turnbull were to lead the Liberals how soon before Australia become assimilated ?

    140

  • #
    Nathan

    Moncton on the current leadership fight.
    Moncton

    140

  • #
    The Backslider

    5 hours to go……

    30

  • #
    PeterPetrum

    The Telegraph is reporting this morning that many Liberal MPs have received more than 300 emails over the weekend supporting Tony Abbott and threatening to ditch the Libs if they get rid of him. Looks like your last post might have helped, Jo! I wrote to Sinodinos too, telling him what a low life he is dumping on Tony after Tony supported him over ICAC!

    100

  • #
    eliza

    I think the days of this sites policy of not using the F word are rapidly coming to an end http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/globalwarming/11395516/The-fiddling-with-temperature-data-is-the-biggest-science-scandal-ever.html
    Australia cannot claim to have any juricdiction to what is said abroad and its about time “skeptic” sites faced the music or you will be left way behind. I’m sure you will now be finding that “Loony Goddard” ect is now way ahead in the interest stakes because he REALLY TACKLED the f[word]. There has been NO global warming at all, AT ALL due to human co2
    [Eliza, there are social reasons why we avoid one ‘F’ word, and legal reasons why we avoid the other one, in print. What happens in other jurisdictions really has no bearing, we must comply with the Australian legal interpretation of what constitutes libel. Fly]

    00

  • #
    the Griss

    YES. 🙂

    SPILL MOTION DEFEATED

    60 something to 30 something.

    160

  • #
    Ross

    Well done Tony Abbott and Australia !!!!

    101

  • #
    Ron Cook

    61 sensible Libs.

    You Beauty mate!!!!!!!!!

    R-COO- K+

    90

  • #
    Graham Richards

    Now it’s Turnbull’s turn. Resign now.

    He’s been trouble right from the start.Mr Abbott get rid of him now. We all know he will not give up & will continue to ‘white ant’ & destabilise the government.

    The media of course are really pissed off.

    What a start to the year…….first of all there have not been any climate changing cyclones, still no sign of a boat load of
    spongers & Abbott is still there.

    130

    • #
      James Bradley

      Graham,

      Of course the media are upset, Mr. Abbott has again thwarted their agenda:

      First you stop the boats, and when you stop the boats then you stop carbon tax and when you stop the carbon tax then you stop the spill.

      131

  • #
    pat

    now i challenge the Govt. expose the scam. you owe it to your children and grand-children!

    7 Feb: UK Telegraph: Christopher Booker: The fiddling with temperature data is the biggest science scandal ever
    New data shows that the “vanishing” of polar ice is not the result of runaway global warming
    When future generations look back on the global-warming scare of the past 30 years, nothing will shock them more than the extent to which the official temperature records – on which the entire panic ultimately rested – were systematically “adjusted” to show the Earth as having warmed much more than the actual data justified…READ ALL
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/globalwarming/11395516/The-fiddling-with-temperature-data-is-the-biggest-science-scandal-ever.html

    90

  • #
    pat

    btw the Christopher Booker article has ***9,226*** comments at the moment. it is evident the public doesn’t buy the scam. you may wish to add your voice

    kudos to Booker.

    90

  • #
  • #
  • #
    Catamon

    61 /39

    So only 13 of them need to change their minds for next time. 🙂

    Abbott’s support outside of those getting the lolly of cabinet / parl sec positions pretty thin. 🙂

    Good outcome for the country. Libs have a bit more flailing around and bleeding to do before they are done.

    Poor Mike Baird. He seems like an ok bloke who now has to deal with Abbott popping up in his campaign in March.

    216

    • #
      Ross

      Yes Catamon, I see you are following the MSM trail of focussing on the 39 and not the 61.

      When Abbott beat Turnball to get where he is , he won by 1 vote so I’d say he is improving significantly !!

      How many of the 39 believed the MSM and thought Abbott was dog tucker and so voted the way they did to get in good with Turnball or whoever took over ??( ie. they were only thinking of themselves)

      170

      • #
        the Griss

        That’s nearly a 2/3 majority. !

        Well done Mr Abbott.

        Well done sensible Libs. 🙂

        150

      • #
        Catamon

        focussing on the 39 and not the 61

        Ross, 41 of the 61 are Cabinet / Outer Cabinet.

        So assuming they all voted against (their positions are dependent on Abbott staying in place and they were heavily pressured) only 20 back benchers wanted Abbott to stay on.

        Look for another round of #libspill in June. 🙂

        But the focus will be more on the RW candidates i think and that means Morrison vs Turnbull.

        010

        • #
          the Griss

          Add in ALL the National Party…

          and Mr Abbott has a VERY HEALTHY majority in the Coalition.

          This is something the far-left children seem not to understand. 🙂

          100

          • #
            Catamon

            Add in ALL the National Party…

            Who cares about the Nats? They huff and puff and always wind up asking, “please sir may i have another” when the Libs screw them over.

            Although Barnaby’s frothing incoherency in Parliament does have substantial entertainment value. 🙂

            06

            • #
              Angry

              “CATamon”.
              Who’s a SOUR PUSS then???

              40

              • #
                Catamon

                [ Who’s a SOUR PUSS then??? ]

                Not sour angry, just dont care what the Nats do.

                They should just amalgamate with the Libs like they did in QLD and stop pretending.

                I mean…that has worked so well for them in QLD after all? 🙂

                02

              • #
                the Griss

                We are LAUGHING at you and the ineffectual ABC/Fairfax far-left.

                Even with blanket 365/24/7 Abbott bashing, they can barely make any headway for “their” ALP/Greens !

                Nearly 2/3 of the Liberals don’t even want to consider a leadership change.

                So GET OVER IT, fur-brain !!

                40

              • #
                Catamon

                Griss, you do understand that i am fully supportive of Abbott remaining as Liberal Leader dont you?? 🙂

                In fact, an awful lot on the left of politics DO want him in place to the 2016 election.

                You really need to get out of the echo chamber occasionally and get some exposure to reality.

                03

              • #
                the Griss

                There are several times in the past when the ABC/Fairfax/ALP/Greens have misread what Mr Abbott can manage to achieve.

                Only a very silly person gets bitten twice…

                ..but to get bitten many times, over and over again, really is the height of stupidity.

                40

          • #
            Dennis

            Meanwhile in Labor faction war zone the fate of Bill is a hot subject, and how to get around the deal done with KRudd to firewall the leadership.

            30

        • #
          James Bradley

          Catamon,

          Or another way of looking at it is:

          Abbott increased his support margin from the last leadership challenge by 1,200%…

          30

          • #
            Catamon

            Abbott increased his support margin from the last leadership challenge by 1,200%…

            True. 🙂 At which i am sure he is just thrilled. I know i am. 🙂

            04

            • #
              the Griss

              This will wake the Liberals up.

              Not wonder you are panicking so much !! 🙂

              Giggling in fear, you are.

              Soooo funny to watch.

              40

    • #
      Gary in Erko

      Predictions from hundreds of the intelligentsia of the twitteratti and blogosphere were wrong. Now we have to wade through, not the analysis of why they mistook it all, but what we can expect next. The best use of predictions is to ensure something doesn’t happen – like taking an umbrella to stop the rain. The future is never predictable. Predictions serve to inform us of what isn’t going to occur.

      60

      • #
        Allen Ford

        Speaking of predictions, did anyone see the comedy duo yesterday, Tim & Will, confidently assert that 2013 was the hottest year evaah? Funny that it was only a few days earlier that our comical friends said the same about the year 2014. No mention that these catastrophic temperatures were all of 0º.01C higher, or that the error margin was ±0º.1C.

        No classically trained scientist or statistician would make such stupid statements.

        90

      • #
        llew Jones

        An interesting and vital cog in Abbott’s desire to improve the Coalition’s position in the polls is to thank Jay Weatherill for his proposed RC into nuclear energy and other aspects associated with uranium mining in SA.

        Even the dumbest voter should now see that renewable energy is virtually useless in an industrialised economy. Abbott worked that out years ago.

        Turnbull and Shorten still haven’t.

        The Coalition should use this information to show how devastating the Greens/Turnbull/Shorten solution to their so called human caused climate change would be to Australia’s economy.

        Get stuck into them Tony.

        By the way lovely to see the ABC’s political commentators make absolute fools of themselves today in Canberra. 61% to 39%, when many of those 39% wouldn’t have voted for Turnbull anyway, seems a pretty good margin in Abbott’s favour.

        80

  • #
    • #
      The Backslider

      Of course…. silly people. Now they must pay the price, let’s see:

      1. Sorry Bronwyn
      2. Bye bye Malcolm
      3. Who else was there?
      4. I hope you guys like remaining backbenchers like forever

      120

      • #
        Angry

        Bishop is the [snip] who wants to give $200 m to the anti human UN for [snip yelling] global warming fraud!

        Get rid of her !

        20

  • #
    Adam Smith

    Abbott’s political career is in a death spiral.

    He lost 39 votes even though there was no other candidate!

    He is gone.

    That’s why Luke Simpkins had a huge smile on his face when he was interviewed on ABC News 24.

    114

    • #
      The Backslider

      Nonsense.

      81

    • #
      llew Jones

      I’d suggest Simpson had a huge smile on his face because he is an anthropogenic climate change skeptic and would not vote for Turnbull. Perhaps a smile more along the lines of “Phew that’s a relief. I nearly stuffed it”.

      It’s very unlikely that many of the 39 had their sights set on the unloved Turnbull but rather candidates like Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison. Neither of whom appear to be back stabbers.

      60

    • #
      The Backslider

      That’s why Luke Simpkins had a huge smile on his face

      No, Luke Simpkins had a huge smile on his face for his 40 minutes of fame…. or perhaps that was a grimace of fear.

      Who is Luke Simpkins?

      61

      • #
        Allen Ford

        Who is Luke Simpkins?

        A political lightweight, if ever I saw one!

        70

        • #
          the Griss

          “A political lightweight,”

          And now destined to remain one. 🙂

          Sucked in by the far-leftist media and a few GetUp phone calls. !! DOH !!

          80

      • #
        Adam Smith

        Luke Simpkins is the guy who started the end of Abbott’s prime ministership.

        Oh, assuming you don’t include Abbott himself.

        08

        • #
          the Griss

          Sorry little child..

          Mr Abbott’s Prime Ministership is ONLY JUST BEGINNING 🙂

          30

        • #
          the Griss

          Abbott didn’t just win.

          It was pronounced a “NO CONTEST”

          Get used to that FACT. 🙂

          Turnbull didn’t even get to take the field. 🙂

          20

    • #
      the Griss

      Nearly 2/3 of the Libs didn’t even want to consider a leadership challenge.

      Live with it! 🙂

      ..and yes, all Liberals and Liberal voters should be smiling :-)!!

      70

    • #
      Cheryl

      There were no candidates because it was only a vote on the spill motion. Just because someone may have voted for the spill, does not mean they would or would not have voted for TA when it came to the crunch. Some may have thought it was a good way to clear the air.

      40

  • #

    I emailedleadership re what I thought … that Abbott as elected l
    eader should remain in office other than for a constitutional
    breach of trust. Let us not follow the unedifying example of
    Gillard/Rudd’s self serving in-fighting and provocations of
    the left wing press.The Liberals were elected to balance the
    budget, protect free speech,protect our borders and adopt
    sceptical policies to those costly,flawed CAGW modelling
    predictions.

    Now that Tony Abbott has survived the leadership challenge and
    is already being challenged by the ABC talk-fest to adopt “fair”
    budget balancing measures, I suggest the liberals’abolish the ABC,’
    it’s not ‘the people’s ABC’ anyway, and think of the savings!

    140

  • #
    Ian Wilson

    Great news about the 61 who supported common sense and reason. The problem is that you have a media that thinks its the height of misogyny for Abbott to wink or look at his watch. The media will take some minor incident e.g. Abbott helping an old woman across the road, and make out that he is some sort of slime ball that crawled out from underneath the nearest rock. Green Senator Hanson-Young will come out an express her unending rage and indignation at Abbott’s misogyny. The ABC will drag this “blatant affront” to womanhood out for weeks with in-depth with their own reporters and any rabid-lefty that they can drag in off the street. And on and on it will go…..until we privatize the ABC!

    100

  • #
    Angry

    Why does Malcolm Turnbull chill so many people?

    INTERESTING to hear what turnBULL’s friends say about him, Quote: PRICK, Nick Whitlam :-

    http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/gw-classics/raging-turnbull-20140904-10c7ye.html

    51

  • #
    bemused

    Interesting how The Age et al are all crowing about how big a loss this is for Abbott and next time, just you wait, next time he’ll be gone. It’s just like global warming, just you wait, it’ll happen.

    120

    • #
      TdeF

      Even Gina has given up on the Age. There is no business there worth saving. It stopped being a newspaper long ago, now just Pravda on the Yarra.

      80

  • #
    TdeF

    The Greens desperately need a climate change caused bushfire! Tim Flannery’s petulant summer does not worry anyone.
    It is also interesting how in the media created Spill drama, no one has asked Christine Milne what she thought.
    Are the Greens irrelevant in Canberra now? Will Abbott fire Turnbull from the ministry? He can lead his own latte faction
    from the back bench.

    30

    • #
      The Backslider

      The Greens desperately need a climate change caused bushfire!

      If that were true you could be sure the firebugs would be out there.

      30

      • #
        gbees

        According to a news report I saw on TV they are in WA. firebugs being investigated.

        40

      • #
        TdeF

        Really, I was not suggesting anyone light one! That is too literal a reading.

        The Greens are consummate opportunists. So any hurricane is absolute proof of Climate Change. It is not longer about an alleged increase in frequency or severity of extreme events. Every single event is proof, unless it is a blizzard because it is hard sell to say warming causes blizzards. It has been tried, but no one believes it.

        In this distorted warmist world, just as even Obama and Kerry say 97% of all Scientists agree with man made Global Warming, 97% of all events including bushfires and hurricanes and floods are absolute proof of man made climate change.

        My point was that the Australian summer is peak season for alarmist warmists, especially the Norther Hemisphere ones. They are looking to us for climate tragedies and they are utterly disaster starved. Great!

        50

  • #
    el gordo

    Realpolitik from JasonKD

    ‘Gillard won spill 71-31. Abbott said she was illegitimate. Abbott wins spill with only 62-39. Claims strong unity.’

    36

    • #
      Catamon

      That’s life in Tory Land el gordo. 🙂

      Will be interesting to see how the dynamic evolves from here. We may actually see Turnbull progressively sidelined as a contender from here on in?

      I’m thinking that over the next few weeks there will be more quiet emphasis on a Morrison/Bishop ticket.

      Morrison to suit the RW of the Libs as that will reassure the more viscous side of their party room and the IPA that their current agenda continues, and Bishop as Deputy…again….to placate the more moderate Libs.

      The polling will almost HAVE to start improving for the Libs over the next few weeks and the spin / turd polishing on that will be funny to watch.

      But given their abysmally low numbers now it will come back up when the [SNIP namecalling] stop frothing over the possibility of Turnbull as leader so look for the Libs, and actually everyone else to completely misinterpret poll movements for the next few weeks.

      A better guide to #leadersh$t will be to see IF the Libs actually do try and do anything policy wise, what they try, and what factions the policy direction seems to be coming from.

      Oh, and the Jo Hockey Sweat Index. 🙂

      06

      • #
        the Griss

        Nearly 2/3 of the Liberals didn’t even want to consider a leadership change.

        The ABC/Fairfax media is really not doing a very good job for “their” far-left wing ALP/Green buddies.

        Making a right mess of it actually, way too obvious in their outright bias, and everyone can see it. !

        They have managed to help shore up Mr Abbott’s leadership by their non-sense of pushing for Turnbull.

        Thanks ABC/Fairfax, well done. 🙂

        40

      • #
        James Bradley

        Catamite,

        No one likes a sore loser.

        30

  • #
    Hasbeen

    Ok Tony.

    Now is the time for all good men as the saying goes, TO GROW A BACKBONE.

    Get rid of Turnbull, first out of cabinet, then out of preselection.

    Halve the ABC & SBS budget, & start making a mark. Chuck out Gonski, & the NDIS & let the screams rise.

    They are all after your blood, strike first, & make a bloody difference for us & the country.

    Keep up the nice bloke bit, & they’ll get you. Might as well give them something to really stink about.

    It might surprise you how many will respond to the viscous attacks you will suffer, you’ll probably pick up support, not lose it.

    Even if you go down, it would take years for the left to climb back up from such a strike, & they may never make it.

    At least you would be a dead hero, rather than a limp half dead wimp.

    90

    • #
      Yonniestone

      Fully agree, if PM Abbott wants to be remembered for anything courageous then this is the year with the major target COP 21 Paris Nov/Dec 2015, what Australia needs now is a leader with a bit of mongrel in them showing enough teeth to alert the country just how much they’ve been had.

      It’s been said here many times Australians have been spoilt with handouts so use that to our advantage as spoilt people don’t like losing anything they feel entitled to this includes taxpayer dollars lining the pockets of Eurocrats that contribute zero to better our way of life, imagine the uproar if this finally sank in, I’d have a grin as big as my stupid avatar.

      50

  • #
    pat

    IMAGINE THE MSM IF THE PM HAD LOST!!!

    Tony Abbott retains leadership but his time at the top could be limited
    9news.com.au-39 minutes ago

    PM survives but suffers severe blow
    Herald Sun- ‎25 minutes ago‎

    Why Tony Abbott’s leadership is in peril
    The Age – ‎2 hours ago‎

    THIS HEADLINE:

    Tony Abbott keeps leadership of Liberal Party following failed spill motion – Liberal Leadership turmoil – ABC News …
    ABC‎ – 2 hours ago

    HAS NOW CHANGED TO THIS:

    9 Feb: ABC: Tony Abbott keeps leadership of Liberal Party following failed spill motion
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/live-liberals-meet-to-debate-abbott-spill-motion/6078320

    9 Feb: ABC: Emma Griffiths: Tony Abbott keeps leadership of Liberal Party but some supporters fear he is doomed
    Two Liberal MPs have told the ABC that the Prime Minister looked “shocked” when he was shown the numbers…
    But even some of his most ardent supporters believe the split in the party has left him mortally wounded and predict he cannot survive the year…
    MPs gathered knowing the dire results of the first Newspoll of the year, showing the Coalition trailing Labor 43 per cent to 57 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
    ***Malcolm Turnbull is by far the preferred leader against Mr Abbott, according to the poll, which has a 3 per cent margin of error…
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/tony-abbott-keeps-liberal-leadership-failed-spill-motion/6079006

    20

  • #
    pat

    POSTED PRIOR TO THE VOTE, BUT INCORPORATES THE RESULT; IN ANNABEL’S MIND, THE PM APPEARS WAS THE AGGRESSOR IN IT ALL. ANNABEL HAS AN ‘OUCH’ MOMENT OVER BISHOP AND A BIT OF A LOVEFEST WITH SO-CALLED CAGW SCEPTIC JENSEN.
    IS THIS WHAT TAXPAYERS EXPECT FOR THEIR MONEY FROM ABC?

    9 Feb: ABC: Annabel Crabb: PM fights in leadership battle, but how goes the war?
    Posted about 6 hours ago
    Annabel Crabb is the ABC’s chief online political writer.
    The PM has conducted a public shock and awe campaign to save his leadership, but do his colleagues have the stomach for the permanent war? …
    Ms Bishop’s facial expression, as her leader declared to the cameras that “I’m not someone who goes around demanding pledges of loyalty”, did not move even a millimetre. The woman’s a marvel; those facial crunches have really paid off…
    But how goes the war?
    Funnily enough, the best insight came from Dennis Jensen last week, Dennis Jensen being the WA Liberal MP who got the spill going to blow Malcolm Turnbull out of the Liberal leadership five years ago, and may yet be able to claim credit for rubbing out his successor too. That’s a hell of a stuffed giraffe to take home from the fair, isn’t it?
    Much talk last week dismissed Dr Jensen and his fellow rebels as numpties; disaffected persons of no consequence in the party room. But in politics, such revolutions are almost always numpty-led. It’s always those with least to lose who move first…
    COMMENT by a happy little debunker:
    So there you have it,
    61% in favour of no spill, and 39% for a spill motion.
    2 weeks of pointless media speculation, about nothing at all!
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/crabb-pm-fights-in-leadership-battle-but-how-goes-the-war/6078726

    BTW I HAD TO LOOK UP “NUMPTY” – GUESS IT’S A POPULAR WORD WITH THE ABC CROWD, LIKE THEIR CONSTANT USE OF “BOGAN”. ANYWAY, HOW DID ANNABEL SEE JENSEN PREVIOUSLY?

    May 2014: ABC: Annabel Crabb: Frat parly: where is the adult supervision?
    When the Australian electorate opted to switch to the Coalition last year, the promise of “grown-up government” was an especially reverberant one…
    Dennis Jensen, the Coalition’s staunchest resident climate sceptic, has given a lengthy speech condemning his own Government’s approach to scientific research funding as “foolish” – and when Dr Jensen reckons you’re out of step with scientific consensus, then you’re indeed a long way from Kansas…
    Not all of the above is the fault of Tony Abbott; people go off-plantation all the time in politics…
    But that’s the thing about grown-up government. Sometimes, you’re only as old as the company you keep.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-28/crabb—fraternity-government/5484684

    GET RID OF THE ARROGANT ANNABEL CRABB.

    30

  • #
    pat

    FAIRFAX HAS THE WORST OF ALL THE COVERAGE, JUST ABOUT ANYWAY.
    I COULD ONLY TAKE THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THE VIDEO – PARAPHRASED BELOW. IT IS DEATHLY!
    BTW, HUFFINGTON POST HAS INKED A DEAL WITH FAIRFAX FOR AN AUSSIE HUFFPO, WHICH WILL NO DOUBT FEATURE ALL OUR GREAT LITTLE ABC/FAIRFAX “JOURNALISTS”!

    9 Feb: SMH: Tony Abbott pleads with colleagues for six-month reprieve
    James Massola and Mark Kenny

    (11 MINUTE VIDEO WITH PETER HARTCHER ON HOW THE VOTE MEANS NOTHING UNLESS THE PM CAN CHANGE HOW HE BEHAVES HIMSELF, ETC!
    Q: WHAT TIME-FRAME? HARTCHER: WEEKS OR MONTHS, WE KNOW IT’S THE END OF THE STORY. HE’S TERMINAL.
    Q: AND HE WOULD KNOW THAT & HIS SUPPORTERS WOULD KNOW THAT, NO-ONE LOOKED HAPPY AFTER THE VOTE. HARTCHER: THEY NEVER WALK WAY. THIS HAS BEEN STUDIED BY ANTHROPOLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS,
    BLAH BLAH)

    LINK: Mark Kenny: Tony Abbott’s removal not a case of if, but when
    LINK: Michael Gordon: Tony Abbott’s demise is inevitable

    Prime Minister Tony Abbott hit the phones on Sunday night to plead for six months to turn around the fortunes of his embattled government.
    Fairfax Media has been told that in a series of calls to up to a dozen backbenchers that lasted until midnight, Mr Abbott urged marginal seat MPs to give his government more time…
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-pleads-with-colleagues-for-sixmonth-reprieve-20150209-139hma.html

    WHAT A PIECE OF WORK VERRENDER IS…AND HE’S A “BUSINESS EDITOR”? TAXPAYERS PAY HIS SALARY? SAY IT ISN’T TRUE?

    9 Feb: ABC: As our economy suffers, cue the clowns
    Opinion: Ian Verrender
    Ian Verrender is the ABC’s business editor.
    Take our current predicament.
    A breathless silence has descended through the big top. Fear and apprehension have gripped the assembled throng.
    After an endless series of back-flips, the acrobat, having taken to the high wire in desperation, has lost his footing and is clinging on by his fingernails as the enthralled crowd far below gazes on at his hopeless predicament.
    Entertaining it may be. But the pantomime being played out in Canberra has only served to divert attention from the grim reality facing the nation and the absence of any cogent plan to restore the nation’s finances…
    It is astounding that so few economists have bothered to pick up on the obvious; that why on earth during a revenue crisis, would a government’s most urgent action be to eliminate revenue.
    Even worse, with the carbon tax, it has replaced a revenue source with a multi-billion dollar spending program that is likely to make Labor’s pink batts fiasco look positively tame…
    Meanwhile, the circus goes on. The finale approaches. Bring on the clowns.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/verrender-as-our-economy-suffers-cue-the-clowns/6078828

    20

    • #
      Ross

      Well Pat it looks like the great and mighty of the Aussie media have lost again, and they don’t like it. Their halo has lost a bit of gloss. One day they will realise that to regain respect they should go back to reporting the news and giving us good quality journalism. But I think it will be too late for many of them before they come to this realisation.
      I don’t think it is peculiar to Australia. Here in NZ we have the same issues with the MSM. Prior to our last election there was a “famous” tweet from a Press Gallery journo expressing her frustration by saying ” No matter what we say we cannot influence the polls”.
      From what I read it is the same in the USA, UK etc.

      20

  • #
    David Wood

    Totally OT but I find it to be quite crazy that power prices in Australia are so high compared to say the USA where the average residential power charge is 12.5 cents/KWh.Our prices have skypocketed much more than theirs. Why? See attached.
    Energy-Pinching Americans Pose Threat to Power Grid
    Sluggish Sales Could Deprive Utilities of Revenues to Maintain Vast Network of Generating Plants and High-Voltage Lines
    By Rebecca Smith, WSJ, Feb 2, 2015
    http://www.wsj.com/articles/energy-
    [SUMMARY: In the US power use is down, but prices are up. “Since 2004, average residential electricity prices have jumped 39%, to 12.5 cents a kilowatt-hour and prices for all users have jumped 36% to 10.42 cents, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retail sales to homes and businesses still are less than they were in 2007, before the recession.” This disparity is putting pressure on electric utilities. Among the more radical proposals being explored by state utility regulations is a significant fixed monthly fee for electricity service.]

    00

    • #

      Seeing as how this Thread has just about run its course, then, similar to David Wood going off topic, then I’ll continue his thoughts here.

      Go to this link (This is the EIA database in the U.S.)

      This page shows retail power costs and consumption across the whole of the U.S.

      Now at that first map, click on the blue tab (the right tab) above the map, and this shows the U.S. average price per unit (KWH) across the U.S. with the price legend under the map.

      There are only 6 Mainland States which pay the equal of what we pay here in Oz, incidentally, States which have to import the bulk of their power from out of State, hence the higher price.

      The bulk of the States pay a rate 50% or lower than what we do here.

      Scroll down a little and look at the costings chart. The average retail price per unit is 12.48 cents per KWH, less than half what we pay here in Oz, and note the prices paid by Commerce and Industry for what they consume, a quarter for what we pay for residential power here in Oz.

      And as for total U.S. power consumption decreasing, well, that’s not so, as it has been rising for the last three years, fairly steadily at around 1.5% each year, and while coal fired plants have been closing (small and ancient) that lesser number of coal fired plants are in fact supplying more power, a 2.4% rise so far last year and 4.8% rise the year before that.

      Renewables replacing coal fired power. Don’t be silly now!

      Tony.

      40

  • #
    pat

    forgot this one:

    9 Feb: ABC AM: Louise Yaxley: Spill motion an orchestrated ambush on Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Andrew Robb says
    Prior to the vote this morning, Mr Robb predicted the spill motion would fail.
    “I do think that, overwhelmingly, people will see that this has been an ambush in many ways,” he said at Canberra airport.
    “I am not going to get into names; I am not certain of all the people.
    “I do know that there [were] things being organised from as early as early December to put a shot across the Prime Minister’s bows.”…
    Mr Simpkins said he was just reacting to what his constituents and people around the country wanted him to do.
    “No-one started this apart from, unfortunately, the Prime Minister himself,” he said…
    Mr Randall warned that the leadership issue may drag on…
    In his interview with the ABC on Sunday, Mr Abbott described the experience of facing a spill motion after just 16 months in government as “very chastening”.
    But a Liberal source said Mr Abbott was more than chastened – he was shattered that he could lose his job***.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/spill-motion-an-orchestrated-ambush-on-abbott-andrew-robb-says/6078694

    ***MAY LOUISE YAXLEY LOSE HER TAXPAYER-FUNDED JOB, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

    21

  • #
    pat

    an aside:

    remember BBC doing the program at the Wellcome (Trust) Collection, with BBC’s Claudia Hammond talking to Marine Biologist Mary Hagerdorn about how ALL THE CORAL IN THE WORLD WOULD BE GONE WITHIN FIFTY YEARS. that program was promoed, then aired, multiple times late Jan-early Feb.

    Now, BBC World Service’s “Science Hour” last night includes Hammond/Hagerdorn/Wellcome excerpts with BBC presenter’s intro stating “some experts” claim ALL CORAL IN THE WORLD COULD BE GONE WITHIN FORTY years from triple whammy from humanity, pollution, global warming and ocean acidification.

    FIFTY DOWN TO FORTY IN A FEW WEEKS! that was a quick LOST DECADE.

    Latest Science Show: Coral segment begins half-way through the 49-minute program, approx 24 mins in:
    8 Feb: BBC World Service: The Science Show: Cosmic Renaissance; Three Person Babies; Chimpanzee language
    Note in Summary…Boosting coral populations…
    Download
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/science

    the excerpts chosen for the Science Hour prog are the funny ones about collecting the sperm, ha ha, and includes Hagerdorn’s call for concern for your children and your grand-children.

    the original 50-min show:
    Download Audio: BBC: Exchanges at the Frontier: Saving Coral 31Jan15
    Sat, 31 Jan 2015
    Duration: 50 mins
    Download
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/ideas

    10

  • #
    Dennis

    For any who came in late, scanned but did not read all comments, our sovereign nation and leader need your help:

    WHY? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG0WcjGHkEw&sns=em

    20

  • #
    Sean McHugh

    Spill vote is now Monday, not Tuesday.

    A good move and one that, as it has turned out, possibly gives greater efficacy to emails and calls to MPs. Far from being too late, there is now time for the MPs to read, digest and relay the anger out there. This will prepare for Turnbull’s second try, one that will probably be more aggressive, unless there is a wave of negativity and discouragement in the meantime.

    30

  • #

    It is clear that Turnbull thought he had the numbers to carry the spill motion, and thus the numbers to win a subsequent ballot.
    It is also clear from this, that Turnbull is as useless now as he was five years ago.
    In one sense I am disappointed that he didn’t secure the PM-ship: how on earth would he and Dennis Jensen have reconciled their climate change differences, for surely Turnbull would have rewarded Jensen for his role in bringing down Abbott.
    It is ironic that Jensen owes his seat in parliament to John Howard who, in the face of almost universal hatred of Jensen within the WA branch of the Party, used his considerable influence to ensure Jensen’s pre-selection.

    20

  • #
    karl

    I kept mine email polite and mailed to all WA reps ( I live here)plus Abbot and Turnbull. Main points:

    If MT is leader then I park my vote elsewhere
    Hockey has to go
    Liberals are supposed to decrease taxes and support our main industries, not increase taxes and try to appease the ABC and its followers
    Turnbull is probably Australia’s richest socialist.

    80

    • #
      the Griss

      Someone needs to chase up where this reported “inundation” of comments against TA actually came from. !!!

      Why has no other MP reported this “inundation”?

      Was Simpkins targeted by GetUp (or similar) or by helpers of another politician (unnamed) as a naïve and gullible simpleton?

      50

  • #
    karl

    #86-I suspect that once the emails are read it will stop the Turnbull for PM push dead in its tracks. Us aussies are a pretty perceptive mob and don’t like people who think the Prime Ministership is their birthright. Turnbull would lose more conservatives voters than any gain in swinging votes or soft lefts. He would obviously not pick up any green voters and others suffering from Abbott Derangement Syndrome

    70

  • #
    Catamon

    Well, its been nice playing with you all again.

    I’ll leave you now awhile to play with yourselves.

    Seeyahs!

    18

    • #
      the Griss

      You lost, game set, match.

      But you must be getting well used to that by now 🙂

      [snip tone it down thanks – J]

      41

    • #
      the Griss

      BoltA posts “Abbott Wins”

      This is not strictly true.

      The real FACT is that the pretenders didn’t even get on the field !

      [snip]

      20

    • #
      Sean McHugh

      I’ll leave you now awhile to play with yourselves.

      Pass. And you need to stop too. It’s making you too fond of yourself.

      10

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    Hartog

    What about the inbuilt hypocrisy of ‘secret ballot’ and where in real life would the ‘challengers’ not be disposed of after their failure to deliver?

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      Len

      Apparently the European Union is introducing the secret ballot process as explained by Nigel Farrage. This is a huge departure from normal political voting processes and accountability.

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    Mack

    What gets me is this knight-hood thing. Does this Abbott guy not have a brain. Who the hell are his advisors? Has somebody said..”I know what, lets give a knighthood to the 93yr. old member of the royal family.” “Yeesss, great idea” says Tony Abbott…cheer him up no end.” but..aahh, don’t the royals confer knighthoods on us lowly people.? Nah she be right…send off an email, Dear Duke. I’ve much pleasure in informing you that you’re now “Sir Duke”, Kind regards, Tony, (you know who), from down under.

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      Ian Wilson

      Mack,

      In 1988, PM Bob Hawk awarded HRH Prince Philip the highest Australian Award at the time (Companion of the Order of Australia).
      There was little or no public outcry over this decision. In addition, very few people I know would think that Bob Hawk is an idiot
      because of this decision.

      Since 1947, 44 countries [including most of the Commonwealth countries] have awarded HRH Prince Philip their highest civilian
      and military honors. No-one in the media has even mentioned this indisputable fact.

      In June 2012, NZ awarded HRH Prince Philip the Additional Member of the Order of New Zealand. This was followed in April
      2013 by Canada, who awarded HRH Prince Philip its highest National award (Extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada).

      The plan was for Australia to complete the trifecta by awarding HRH Prince Philip a Knighthood in 2014. These top awards were a
      way for theses three countries to say thank you to the Duke of Edinburgh in the last years of his life for a lifetime of service
      to the Commonwealth.

      Why have many in the media hidden this important information from the Australian people?

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    Roy Hogue

    I’m glad the vote failed. But now Abbott is on the hook to do something about climate change, is he not? Otherwise he’ll probably be ousted.

    Do I read this correctly?

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      Sean McHugh

      More capitulation is exactly what he doesn’t need.

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      Angry

      Unless Abbott clearly states the truth that “global warming is the greatest scare in human history” he risks alienating even more of the conservative voters who put him there in the first place.

      If he doesn’t start doing this then he is no better than the alp (Australian LIARS PARTY) and the Communist “greens”.

      02