JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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Statistics
Election Day in South Australia
By tonight we will know if One Nation has successfully fractured Uniparty politics.
370
It will be interesting to see.
But given voters can vote differently at state level vs federal, and given SA state Labor don’t seem to be as on the nose as either federal party, I doubt any failure by One Nation to take seats will be an indication of their potential impact federally.
I do expect ON to take some of the Lib primary vote though. If they can take some of Labor’s too then it will be a big positive for ON, even if not actually winning seats. Their rise won’t be all done in one election period.
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I wish most Australians would realise that when they allocate preferences that they ate not obliged to follow Party recommendations, they can, and should, make their own choices.
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So do I, but the reality is even worse. I read that voters were confused by How to Vote cards that did not specify preferences. They asked electoral officials and became angry when those same officials said they could not help and suggested the voters consult the How to Vote cards.
One Nation made the mistake of over estimating the intelligence of voters!
Voting requires a little bit of preparation.
Civics education is a mess. Should be part of Citizenship preparation as well as school.
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Humans are herd creatures, attuned to ensuring group survival, which means a large number of people need to be reassured that that they are following the group direction.
I.e. please tell me how my group is voting by listing the preferences….
It’s a fact of herd life.
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Many just follow the bloke they think is in front.
10
Pauline Hanson is popular because she speaks from the heart, does not pretend to be a (fake) intellectual and does not rely on focus groups for her opinions. She has moral clarity.
Also, unlike most politicians, she has actually in her past, worked for a living.
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Pauline Hanson isn’t standing for any seat in SA. it’s her party which will do better than it has done before.
I sent off my (postal) vote Thursday and put Cory Bernadi No.1 above the line for the Upper House, which I think many people will do so as well.
For the lower house I voted for an independent who I think will win the seat.
A curious thing; when my voting set arrive it contained a duplicate letter claiming that my application didn’t match the address on the rolls so they had been sent to my enrolled address, something which puzzled me as the address is what I used for the previous election and 3 (State & Federal) elections previously. I assume that this letter was added to the voting papers by some bureaucrat not checking. Your taxes at work.
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I realise she’s not standing, but she was there representing her party and she is the face of One Nation.
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Uniparty does not exist as the SA Labor Treasurer commented when he said Coalition (Liberal National) have provided many very good governments in the past as has Labor, and that One Nation in 30 years of trying has been a flash in the pan in QLD State and generally Senate seats only after that.
Pauline Hanson entered QLD Parliament as an endorsed and supported Liberal candidate in 1996, she was disendorsed because of “contentious comments about indigenous Australians”. In 1997 she established One Nation.
Of course she and party are centre/centre right of politics as compared to Labor right being centre left and Lib-Nat-LNP centre/cetre right. And many headline policies or mission statements appeal, to me too. But 30 years as a minor party is a very long time to get nowhere much.
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Dennis, seriously? When half the population of Australia want to slow mass immigration, and three quarters of Australia don’t want to pay $1 more for climate change, where is the independent “centre right” party that would sweep the floor in an election? It isn’t the Liberals. Perhaps Big Banker, Big Pharma and Big China money have only compromised a few Liberals, but any Liberal who openly said what half of Australia wanted was tossed out of the party, starting with Pauline, but continuing with Craig Kelly, Gerard Rennick, and squeezed out Cory Bernardi. This is not an accident or a random event. Half the Liberal Party voted for Sussan Ley after the big wipeout last year.
It takes bravery to stand up to the UniParty (The Blob) but the Liberals don’t have it. We are all hoping Angus can find that courage, but we don’t know that he can…
So until the Liberals start appealing to the Australian voters first, and the Bankers-Chinese-donors-Big-Pharma-Blob interests second they are very much UniParty.
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And as I have outlined often the LINO (Liberals In Name Only) left started with candidate Liberal elected Turnbull 1996 Federal election and the rot became obvious after Dr Brendan Nelson was appointed Liberal Opposition Leader after Howard defeated November 2007, and in 2008 he was challenged by Turnbull who by a narrow margin became Opposition Leader. In 2009 the pendulum went the other way and Abbott replaced him, at the 202 election for all intents and purposes defeated Gillard Labor forcing Labor into an alliance minority government, and in September 2013 Abbott led the Coalition to a landslide defeat of back again Rudd Labor.
Abbott Government returned to traditional Liberal values with Nationals in Coalition, they abolished Labor’s carbon tax that began as a proposed emissions trading scheme, but were unable to get Senate support to repeal Labor’s RET32% transition away from fossil fuels legislation, and note here that State Governments have a major role in electricity supply, land release, environmental laws, development application approvals and so on, it’s not as simple as a Federal fix.
Despite the victory September 2013 PM Abbott was hounded by the LINO left and leader (miserable ghost reference) and when in late 2015 PM Abbott was replaced by PM Turnbull at the 2016 Federal election the Liberals and Nationals lost all the seats gained 2013, one seat National gain saved them from opposition. In late 2018 Dutton challenged PM Turnbull and Morrison was the successful candidate who became PM and from 2019 began the traditional approach and repair projects (see links I have posted about net zero for example).
Morrison led to another election win 2019 against Shorten Labor however at the 2022 election Albanese Labor were the new goverment and then the LINO left again by a narrow margin of votes selected Sussan Ley as Opposition Leader, and the rest we all know I believe?
However this year Angus Taylor replaced Sussan Ley as Opposition Leader and by a two-thirds of Liberal MPs majority. Matt Canavan became Natonals Leader and Deputy Opposition Leader later. And a new Taylor Team of talented people in Shadow Cabinet.
Labor also have faction rivalry, the centre left have mostly dominated but now again the far left are in control. During the 1950s there was a split when centre left formed a new Democratic Labor Party to get away from the far left factions.
My research and close observations (and I remember posting the link – stopturnbull – website here several years ago and that is a Timeline of Historic events from student days to joining the Liberal Party after Labor rejected his application, according to the late Graham “Richo” Richardson and others. The many quotes and links suggest that there was a reply held conviction that the centre/centre right Coalition had to be stopped, I understand Labor centre-left also, and a new alliance of further left factions to get together (also a union objective outlined by journalist Max Walsh in The Bulletin Magazine 2006 about then new Labor Opposition Leader Rudd and Deputy Gillard.).
Their new alliance party would be all powerful and have no opposition close or with the strength to challenge for government, and all governments to be secured.
When PM Abbott was replaced late 2015 he told journalists not to accept leaks and especially cabinet leaks unless the source was willing to be named and was named. No need for me to go into detail about who the anonymous leakers were is there?
The word is sabotage from within, and Union controlled Labor have similar factional disagreements and ambitions, arguably many more.
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Howard , Abbot and Morrison all caved in to lefty demands and all paid the ultimate price , only one politician has stuck to her policies and ideas for 30 years and that is Pauline Hanson .
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Dennis! You saw the Miserable Ghost! Congratulations! That makes you and I and just about nobody else! Why so few?
Now can you tell us how, after the election, Al Gore persuaded Clive Palmer to change sides and thoroughly thwart the Abbott 90 seat mandate? How did Al get to call the shots for the Australian government?
We need to know, because the word is that Clive is coming again.
20
Trump renewed his criticism of BBC “fake news” on March 17, accusing the corporation of what he termed its “corrupt and fraudulent” coverage of the Iran war. The president branded the BBC’s reporting “unbelievable,” Asked about the defamation lawsuit against the BBC, Trump said “They put words in my mouth and they said I said some pretty bad things and I didn’t say them. It was AI-generated,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “I said ‘I never said that,’ and then we found out it was AI-generated.” Laurence Williamson is credited as using AI to Edit the Trump speech in the BBC Panorama episode “Trump: A Second Chance?” Williamson’s malicious edit omitted the usual flash between edited segments. The BBC’s ‘fake news’ was used as evidence against January 6 protesters: January 6 protester, Enrique Tarrio, has confirmed that the fake news ‘BBC Panorama’ clip was shown to his jury during his criminal trial. The BBC used AI to splice together words spoken by President Trump more than 40 minutes apart, while removing Trump’s explicit call to protest “peacefully and patriotically. Other incidents include BBC News live coverage of Donald Trumps speech during an address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress at the Capitol on March 5, 2025. This statement by Trump was censored by the BBC News team. Trump said “We have had serious discussions with Russia, and have received strong signals that they are rea———-(Picture of the Capital Building for 4 seconds, with the clock changing to 03:48)———-[applause]. Censored by the BBC News team was “ready for peace. wouldn’t that be beautiful, wouldn’t that be beautiful”. The BBC News team transmitted the live speech after a short delay. Speaking about the BBC coverage of the war with Iran, Trump said: “We have decimated that country, and if you watch BBC, it’s almost like they’re fighting us to a draw.” He added: “It was very inaccurate news, it was fake news.” “It really is corrupt, fraudulent news. It really is—it’s fraudulent.”
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The U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) report that Williamson’s use of artificial intelligence enters the ethical category of synthetic media manipulation, which must be disclosed to viewers under Ofcom and BBC editorial guidelines. The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines (Section 6 & 18) require clear labeling of any “digitally altered or reconstructed material that may mislead audiences.” Williamson has not publicly explain the editing process of the Trump segment. The US Embassy in London report that the mainstream media in Britain has not named Laurence Williamson as the editor of the Trump speech: https://www.laurencewilliamson.co.uk/Credits_1.htm
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Good information Paul. The problem is in the words “may mislead audiences”.
That in plain English means leading audiences where the BBC did not mean to lead them.
And when the whole program was intended to investigate whether Trump is the poo poo head that everybody in BBC land knows he is then it was merely an editing slip up that does not affect the overall investigative report.
Right BBC? Yeah right. Because if you don’t stick to your story the BBC may not survive!
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What purpose does the BBC, or indeed any taxpayer-funded media “service” like ABC/SBS (Australia) or CBC (Canada) serve these days?
All these broadcasters are highly biased toward the Left and are in breach of their legal obligations of impartiality. They serve no useful purpose and are just taxpayer-funded Leftist propaganda organisations.
The argument that ABC is necessary to reach out to rural and remote communities in Australia is invalid with satellite and other forms of reception. And they are unlikely to enjoy the far Left content in any case.
These organisations are yet another subsidy to Leftist indulgence paid for by productive people while the Left work to destroy everything other people work for.
Why should decent, hard-working people be forced to pay for them? If Leftists want their own media outlet, let them pay for it.
In the USA, TRUMP stopped taxpayer funding of PBS and NPR which were partially taxpayer funded. And yet they still survive as Leftist propaganda organisations but taxpayers are not forced to pay for them which is how it should be.
Back in the day, Australia’s ABC observed strict rules of impartiality and even had a pronunciation department to ensure words were pronounced correctly. Nowadays, they frequently misuse words and even get basic facts wrong. For example a few years ago on a news report about the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the commentator said the yachts would exit Sydney Harbour and head “north” to Hobart.
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THe idea that the BBC, ABC, CBC are impartial is patently ridiculous.
However the National amd multi media reach of the ABC and their ability to threaten politicians is very real. If the ABC was a private media company, it would be illegal. All that is required is to make the media laws applicable to the ABC.
The presumption that the ABC is impartial is patently false and should not be made. But given that it is real, what political party would dare attempt to break up the ABC?
And what point of funding the SBS given the internet? It was another Labor radio and TV dream from the days of Al Grassby to subsidize Italian language TV in 1980. Another pile of money for no reason today. Why are these organizations funded forever?
Even the BOM has outlived its usefulness, given that data collection is automatic and the organization is utterly political. The super computer and new website alone are demonstrations of massive waste and a complete loss of direction and purpose.
Similarly with the CSIRO whose patenting performance is woeful and the organization again runs anti conservative politics like the VOICE vote.
Just because these organizations cannot pay their own bills does not mean the public should have to pay. We should have our own petrol/gas/coal and billions flow to cosseted public servants who act as part of the Green/Labor clique. Privatize or perish. Australia should stop paying for public service political activists always demanding more cash for their vote.
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The ABC is set to receive total government funding of $1.2 billion in 2025-26, an increase of $33.1 million from the previous year. While the ABC is budgeting for an operating deficit of $1.2 million, it expects to break even by the end of the financial year,
SBS is projecting a small surplus of $0.5 million for 2025-26. The broadcaster’s total revenue for the year is estimated at $537.8 million, with $359.2 million coming from government funding.
So are we better off by either?
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What makes their bias even worse is that, even outside of the government-funded media sphere, the mainstream media outlets are generally anti-conservative too. Just look at C7, C9 and C10 here in Oz. All are firmly in the anti-Trump, anti-Liberal camp.
This wall-to-wall propaganda is the biggest challenge western democracy faces, because so many people simply swallow their lies and deceptions, voting accordingly.
250
You just proved that it is not the parties, it is the Australian public who is wrong.
Of course “we do not have another public for you”, so it will be a miracle if Labour loose in SA and federally. Even in Victoria it is doubtful.
I expect the change of direction only after major collapse.
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Sadly Vlad, I fear your prediction is probably the most likely outcome.
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“Why are these organizations funded forever?”
Ever seen “Yes Minister?… America with its tax on telephones since the 1930s, never repealed. Stamp duty and capital gains tax here, meant to be repealed after GST was introduced, but just added on top.
The whole system is wrong, an Opposition should go through past laws and repeal them, not just accept them when passed and never change them when in power.
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That’s what the Abbott Govt was doing, with the charge being led by Joe Hockey, until they were undermined by the Member for Their ABC, Malcontent Turncoat and the other bedwetters.
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David, the old south is north and east is west syndrome is strong in your country too, similar to descriptions of a storm barrelling toward the coast… at 5 km/h.
Radio New Zealand, modelled on the BBC ABC etc, has morphed from old school proper English to 21st-century woke yoof kulcha where the ability to trash language, whilst honouring sacred Te Reo Maori lingo, is paramount.
Proofreading? Quality control? Sub-editor / production oversight? Nah cuz, jus mash it up eh ‘n’ slur / misread / butcher the English language coz colonialism, privilege, or sumpfink*. And what of balance, impartiality, both sides of the story? For example:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
The weekend’s morning chit-chat show hosted by two, woke, lefty women – one Scottish, one part-Maori – who are total carbophobes, interviewed Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Executive Director, Jessica Palairet, a similarly carbophobic young woman suing the NZ Govt for relaxing its ‘climate commitments’ to the Paris Agreement, because greenhouse gas emissions and some imaginary climate emergency or ‘crisis’.
What crisis! Our calm, sunny, warm, pleasant Indian Summer continues for another week thanks to a blocking high fending off any nasty ‘weather’, yet climate numpties still complain. It’s an illness, and my sympathy has run dry.
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With corruption investigations the saying says to follow the money.
With their ABC the two lines of investigation might be
1. the nature of the more outrageous material they produce; and
2. who exactly supports continued funding.
Both lines of investigation will be difficult because there is deliberately nobody other than friends of their ABC in a position to investigate.
So there might be two more lines of investigation
3. who is in a position to investigate; and
4. how did they get there.
Problematically again this will all need to be done privately by somebody with enough clout to bring down the whole house of cards.
90
Someone please Help!
I heard the RN Drive program hosted by Tom Forbes
I was in my car and became mesmerised by a regional station.
What I learned:
From a Dr.Tom Mortlock:
(Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), specializing in climate risk, risk management, coastal resilience, and climate change. He is the Head of APAC Climate Analytics at Aon and brings extensive experience in catastrophe risk modeling and insurance)
Cyclones are going to fewer yet more intense hence Cyclone Narelle’s devastating impact as a category 5. (Highest recorded gust was 115km/H on BOM observations)
Another discussion was on the fall in prospective electricity price recommendations. Evidently this is only a draft proposal and will likely be affected by the Iran war. The real price will be more likely to be known after the South Australian Election and the Suuusssan By-Election.
Was I hearing things?
Apologies to anyone with a listen app and able to hear this segment where Tom took up the cause and sacrificed his fellow preesnters drive programs to bring this important information to their ABC’s regular listeners.
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Can’t really go wrong can they? The BOMs fearless forecast, “there will be a big one eventually”
As has always been the case.
They can’t ignore the reduced frequency because we have all noticed, but they can insert the captain obvious alarmist note on the end.
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The big one on their ABC was the information that the proposed drop in the recommended electricity tarrifs was a draft. The other interested parties and stakeholders had yet to respond.
We were wondering how prices could be lower with the continued expenditure on ‘gold plating’ the grid and attempting to store power no one wonts when it is produced.
There is yet to be decided if this impossible task is actually possible.
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Diversity is our Strength … Albanese edition
Multiculturalism > Assimilation
https://redstate.com/bonchie/2026/03/20/watch-autralian-pm-goes-to-a-mosque-to-pander-to-islamists-things-quickly-go-wrong-n2200437
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Also see:
https://youtu.be/CkLRCg0R7No
It appears that no matter how much he panders to this demographic, and they are his preferred immigrant demographic as future Labor voters for life, they still hate him. They whole situation could easily have turned very violent, very quickly. It was extremely dangerous. Conservative media all over the world have reported it.
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“whole situation could easily have turned very violent, very quickly. ‘
Shame it didn’t, we could have had a new PM next week as they are easily replaced…
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Here is Rukshan Fernando’s comments:
https://x.com/i/status/2034964784173699332
And Elon Musk’s:
https://x.com/i/status/2034963059496952007
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The list that Rukshan provides is just a list of the jizya payments – the poll tax on non-followers – that has to be paid so let the debtor dress it up for all it is worth as far as grants/support/inclusivity/social cohesion rubbish is concerned.
The loudspeaker announcement (Musk 1:15min) before editing cuts it off, was interesting “we invited politicians to make us feel good about ourselves….” Burke (not just by name) and Albanese probably thought they were invited to take part in Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of Ramadan… what is that word again… appetite, apoplexy, applause no silly that’s right a p p e a s e m e n t.
Possibly the most interesting take out of all this is why now? According to AI the following is the recent history of past Eid prayer and sermon (khutbah) “media moments”:
In 2024, the Lakemba Mosque chose not to invite any politicians to its Eid prayers, citing community concerns over the government’s response to the war in Gaza.
In 2025, several senior federal politicians, including Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, abandoned scheduled appearances at Eid events after protests were planned, reflecting growing tensions.
The middle east situation has escalated (into all-out war) since 2025 yet the Burke and Albo didn’t have the where with all or security reports to rerun last year’s decision and not attend even with a worse situation playing out? I’m guessing opposition (read radicalisation) within the following has become either more covert… or more overt wink wink nudge nudge.
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The points you made, Earl. are extremely important because as you stress the dynamic side of the picture..
We are facing a typical phys-chem process – something bubbles in the reactor slower or faster until a critical point, them – boom !
It is very short time now until the boom.
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The question is wether will have a series of blackout, which make voters angry, or a shortage of oil followed shortly there after by a shortage of food.
And, of course, with Slim Brains Jim in charge will we get a recession.
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whether?
30
Vladimir Cheers. “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble”.
The useful idiots have “toiled” so hard to make everything fair and equal as far as the physicality’s of society which include employment, “gender”, income etc with the expectation that these are the natural salves for the mental, spiritual and/or social drivers of cultures. The realisation that this was all folly will come (has already come?) too late.
Toil (noun)
– Something that binds, snares, or entangles one: an entrapment.
– (Archaic) A net for trapping game.
– Exhausting labor or effort. Synonym: work.
History alone will record for others to ponder how game western civilisation was to set such a great and effective trap for itself.
A very short time until the boom indeed.
40
A sprinkle of catalyser is thrown in or critical mass achieved.
Maybe both …
50
Could not happen to a better pair of jerks.
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This is how Their ABC reported the incident:
“Anger at the government has spilled over at an Eid prayer event attended by the prime minister and home affairs minister, with a couple of attendees calling for the politicians to be removed from the Western Sydney mosque.” (my emphasis)
So nothing to it, really.
Right?
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Highly skilled reporting if your objective is to obscure the facts and praise the unpraiseworthy.
The borg had nothing on the ABC when it comes to a hive mind.
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I first heard about it on ABC Radio.
When I actually saw the independent video I posted above https://youtu.be/CkLRCg0R7No, it rapidly became obvious that Their ABC had lied and had again violated their legal obligation of impartiality, not to mention their moral obligations as journalists.
The incident was far more serious than ABC had suggested.
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You would think Labor will have to get onto this quickly. If they loose their carefully curated import vote , power may slip from their grasp.
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power may slip from their grasp
It will happen as soon as there is an ethnically compatible candidate able to be endorsed and willing to act as an independent (ignore party rules).
40
Research that claimed Roundup herbicide is safe, retracted by US journal – ABC listen https://share.google/n9TDcVy1y7rtMz49C
Guess who worked tirelessly to get retracted a review of literature, and for not being up front about their association – Naomi Oreskes
It was a review. It really is like damning someone for a crime for hiring a lawyer to go over the evidence.
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The problem is that neither Big Chemical or Big Government or the WHO can be trusted with their assessments, whether they declare it to be either safe or unsafe. Their untrustworthiness became particularly apparent during covid-19.
I will continue to use it in modest amounts on my suburban property with my usual sensible precautions.
Farmers who use it in large quantities should continue to use it with their usual precautions such as respiratory and eye protection, gloves etc..
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Not many healthy farmers in old age from what I can see…
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Nothing to do with Roundup – try backbreaking exhausting 14 hour days for a working lifetime.
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It’s interesting that many vineyards use Roundup to control weeds.
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Much of our food supply is contaminated with it, it makes farming cheaper. Start by sterilizing the soil of any living thing and then plant your crop, just don’t expect your food to be the same as nature’s.
03
That’s just childish. It’s widespread use was a godsend for overtilled soil.
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It may not be safe but at least it’s effective, which positions it above Covid vaccines. Not great company I guess.
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It is safe in trace amounts. You could make a better case to ban browned food.
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Hard to know which villain deserves more criticism.
The chemical companies for promoting their point of view, or Oreskes for just doing Oreskes type things.
30
Round Up has been tested by multiple different entities, in multiple different countries, in multiple different court cases.
The results have been the same each time – it is safe.
Some of those countries have court systems which are notoriously “liberal” but still insist on their courts being intellectually honest, and several of them have used the inquisitorial system which is much harder to baffle with bullshit than the adversarial system used in the Anglosphere.
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“Round Up has been tested by multiple different entities, in multiple different countries, ”
Yes, the French tested it on rats for longer than 30days and found the cancers started then. Monsanto tested it for a month then cut it off saying it was fine.. I remember America getting quite snippy at the frogs for that.
12
Chuck Norris passed away, age 86.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-21/chuck-norris-dies-aged-86/106481200
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It will come to us all but he will live on in legend.
By strange coincidence youtube put this Norris video in my feed yesterday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAbKV6lmvDM
Three and a half minutes that Norris fans will enjoy with a moral tale at the end.
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Hopefully USA will find a replacement fast to sort the IRGC.
Most people fear the Reaper. Chuck Norris considers him a “promising rookie.”
The promising rookie now in charge.
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Chuck actually passed away several years ago, it has just taken the Grim Reaper this long to work up the courage to tell him.
50
I’m probably not alone in finding Islam incomprehensible and odious. But I can understand adherents being outraged at Albanese and Burke having a lend and using them as a political backdrop.
310
Even the pots know the kettle is black.
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Mentioned the Coventry Climax engines the other day. This is is much art as engineering.
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1803839
20
Huh! This (engine, racing car, driver) gets a mention a few times.
I’m currently reading a (non fiction) book written by Colin Bond. (and co written by John Smailes, long term Motorsport journalist)
I’m not one for (too much) non fiction really, every so often, and I really wasn’t even sure I’d even like this one all that much, but it’s incredibly interesting really, and I didn’t realise that Colin was in at virtually the ground floor of the ‘break out’ in motorsport here in Australia.
If any of you are interested, the book is titled Full Tilt. (and that’s an old(ish) term for ….. flat out!)
Full Tilt – Colin Bond and John Smailes
Tony.
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Cheers.
10
I’ve been particularly impressed with the new SA Liberal, Barbie I think her name is, who has been on every Sky news bulletin, reading from the script and losing voters hand over fist. She was on Chris Kenny who fed her questions that might lead voters to reconsider giving the SFLs their vote but just non-answers. If you get a chance watch Four Corners from earlier this week about the algal bloom. Cover ups, denials and all the usual political machinations. Chief Health Officer Spurrier, she of the “don’t catch the ball at the footy or you’ll get Convid and die” claim, doing a good impression of a fish out of water.
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I watched that report on iview, not much govt recognition of the problem, nah it’s right, nothing to see here.
CHO was useless, defending her lack of action.
30
The SA blonde Barbie doll is on 23%, going to be sad to watch.
30
FWIW – there is a crisis at hand but not fuel, food etc
From today’s Advance Australia e-mail
“While petrol prices go through the roof.
While Australian families cut back on groceries, skip the doctor, and watch their mortgage repayments climb, the Albanese Labor government has a different set of priorities.
They want to hire 42 more politicians.
Can you believe that?
This is a blatant power grab and needs to be stopped – sign the open letter NOW.
28 new MPs. 14 new Senators. Each one costing taxpayers $1.5 million a year in salary, staff, offices, and travel.
The total bill? Over $189 million across a single three-year term.
That is ridiculous.”
“That’s $189 million of your money. Not for hospitals. Not for housing. Not for a single dollar of relief at the checkout.
For more politicians.
And here’s what makes it worse.
The population growth Labor is using to justify this expansion? They caused it. Their record immigration program brought in over one million net migrants in just two years – without building the homes, hospitals, or roads to keep up.
That surge drove up rents, overwhelmed services, and pushed prices higher for everyone.
Now they want you to pay for 42 more politicians to manage the consequences.”
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What’s more, the electoral districts will be no doubt gerrymandered to favour Labor and embed them in power forever, which already seems likely given that nearly all new imports will be selected especially for the propensity as Labor voters, plus the massive expansion of the public “service” and massive spending on Government union-controlled projects creating huge dependencies on Government spending of borrowed money etc..
80
Australian Electoral Commission effectively did that to PM Howard who was MP for Bennelong electorate Sydney for over 30 years and took over as winning candidate from the former Liberal MP of decades earlier representation there. In fact the last redistribution placed the Howard family home in the adjoining North Sydney electorate but he refused to move to a safer seat because he believes strongly in public service first and foremost and his constituents are important.
However, after Labor threw everything at Bennelong in November 2007, unions millions opposing the very sensible blueprint for IT Age Work Choices industrial laws, allegations that he problems with Asian Australians despite his electorate containing many of them, and Labor targeted those voters, even the Chinese language newspaper I was told by a Hong Kong Chinese immigrant and employee joined in the campaign against Howard MP. And Opposition Leader Rudd’s Chinese Australian son-in-law campaigned door to door.
After narrowly being defeated by Labor candidate McWho at the next 2010 election a Liberal candidate won the seat back.
50
Labour will spiflicate the Liberals, who will barely win a seat. It is currently 27-16. I predict 37-6.
50
What about One Nation?
30
The punters have Labor home and hosed, followed by the Greens, Libs and One Nation.
12
As experienced election observers and participants, and sypiolgists have been saying, primary votes will be the key and the One Nation preferences not being directed to the Liberal candidates but Liberal recommending One Nation for [ 2 ] second preference vote.
I hope One Nation does not repeat this carelessness masquerading as tactics in 2028 Federal election.
The SA results will be interesting but I tip Labor to be returned to government
30
They won’t win anywhere near what has been bruited.
20
At this time of economic crisis, or indeed at any time, why did the Government alter the petrol standards as of December last year to allow a max. 10ppm sulphur? I know this aligns with EU directives but why do we need to follow those?
Australian refineries cannot currently produce sufficient low sulphur petrol so they now export much of their production to sensible countries to use. So now we have only limited production capacity of 10ppm petrol we can use and we have to import low sulphur fuels from places like Singapore. We import about 90% of our petrol.
(There is a temporary exemption to address the fuel crisis.)
Low sulphur diesel standards have been in place since 2009.
What demonstrable problem is meant to be solved by the move to low sulphur petrol? I know the claims (e.g. “acid rain”) but what and where is the evidence?
It’s all part of the Left’s war against energy in general and the motorist in this case.
It’s insane!
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David they had to get rid of the “dirty fuel” and allow export overseas rather than burn it here in there net zero emissions fantasy zone.
It was of course clean fuel until the specification chemical composition change 2025 – Clean Air Act.
Like those dirty imported ICV that are still passed for registration here as compliant with emissions requirements.
40
“It’s insane!”
Good grief DM, haven’t you noticed how far more intelligent everyone is since we took the lead out of petrol and put in alcohol instead?? That was the main reason for getting rid of lead to start with, and look at the world now…
50
The red/green thumbs went on strike.
20
Election time! Woo hoo!
Time to vote for the next highly skilled, competent, honest and experienced
public servantgloriously incompetent leader, to lead you out of all the crises.Anyone remember Rubbery figures? 😆
https://youtu.be/zxPNUS3LIxk?si=_IKdSY_Kik4gwRVc
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“Anyone remember Rubbery figures?”
Speaking of things like that
“Vintage Pierpont”
https://www.muirbooks.com/pages/books/103481/trevor-sykes/vintage-pierpont-signed-pierpont
20
I’ve seen a situation before when it looked like one party were extremely likely to win a state election. Jeff Kennett in the 1990’s in Victoria. He was going to win easily said all the pundits. But, what happened was that many people put in their protest vote, thinking the LNP ( lead by Kennett) would win anyway. People who had voted LNP previously. Labor ( Steve Bracks) won based on that vote. Same might happen to Mali/Labor in SA. All you need is a small % of ALP voters to switch and things might get interesting.
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South Australia is doing quite well out of Labor policy. And Liberal have not offered an alternative. Whyalla depends on Labor for keeping non jobs going. Likewise Labor provide money to the offshore owners of Port Pirie to keep the smelter going. Labour are paying with your taxes for the submarine work in South Australia. Currently projected at $30bn but more likely triple that.
South Australia also has copper/gold/ uranium mine that is doing well out of NetZero.
More than half the home owners in South Australia have benefited in some way from solar, battery and EV subsidies. They do not have to pay the full cost of support the State gets from the grid interconnection to coal fired power stations outside there State.
South Australia is doing OK out of Labor largesse. Taxpayers in the rest of Australia funds the State. Why rock that sweet ride?
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Federal 2019 election, Shorten led Labor would win, but failed to win
50
Dietician who bluffed her way into senior NHS job is struck off after colleagues discovered she didn’t know where the intestines were
A dietician who bluffed her way into a senior NHS job by exaggerating her experience has been struck off after colleagues found she did not know ‘basic anatomy’ and could have put patients at risk.
Ifenyinwa Chizube Ndulue-Nonso was hired as a dietician at Manchester Royal Infirmary in 2024.
Having moved from Nigeria, she claimed to have experience working with a range of different health problems and nutrition-related diseases as well as working with people with eating disorders and cancer.
Mrs Ndulue-Nonso ‘minimised’ concerns raised, admitting she had overstated her knowledge and experience ‘a bit’, putting it down to cultural differences.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15660581/Dietician-bluffed-way-senior-NHS-job-struck-colleagues-discovered-didnt-know-intestines-gallbladder-did-calculate-BMI.html
Who needs intestines? Just some rubbery tubing from your stomach to your balloon knot…
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I’ve never previously heard it referred to as “balloon knot”. 😆
30
US considers ‘winding down’ Iran operations, no amphibian forces required.
33
Trump enjoying his day with his quiet minder enjoying the performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRj7PvUr_w
Trump makes two clear points regarding the Gulf – USA does not get oil from there Gulf. Other countries getting oil from the Gulf need to protect their merchant ships entering the Gulf.
Currently no sips transiting the Strait.
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So he wanders in and smashes the place up for years to come, then clears out to avoid flack.
American Adventurism writ large, with a twist, he wants to stop the rise of middle powers because of their potential to collaborate against POTUS and PUTIN.
Cuba is a much better option, votes to be had.
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Clearly Iran had prepared to shut the Strait of Hormuz. Trump just forced their hand to a time that suited him. Now it is up to the rest of the world to get Gulf oil if they want it. Australia and UK do not want this stranded asset because they run their economies on wind and solar power.
It is a master stroke. He has turned the entire world against Iranian clerics and their hatred for everyone else is out in the open. They only engaged with China and India because they provided a source of income that enabled them to build their arsenal.
POTUS Trump – smartest and best leader ever.
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Not a bad option really.
Smash the place flat and leave them to spend decades picking up the pieces.
Iran was already in a world of hurt, with Tehran sinking because they’d pumped out all the ground water, their water channels from the mountains silting up because they weren’t keeping them clear, and their agriculture and economy in a massive hole.
Go in, kill the leadership, smash their military, nuclear, and industrial capabilities and let the ayatollahs try to survive.
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“Go in, kill the leadership, smash their military, nuclear, and industrial capabilities and let the ayatollahs try to survive.”..meanwhile calling the countries you are destroying bullies, megalomaniacs, Mad Mullahs and terrorists..
The way the West, the Rule of Law, the golden democracies, the Fair and Righteous, has acted in the Middle East for over 100years now. Try to avoid selling in American dollars and we will destroy you.. Having oil turns out to be a curse.
25
Perhaps I’m wrong, but I don’t hear much discussion about the Shia/Sunni aspect of all this.
There’s the West vs East part and there’s the East vs East part.
Who is the infidel?
The infidel is the infidel to the other infidel.
(As the the secular western intelligentsia lives in their fantasy world where religion is anachronistic, while at the same time birthing their own new one.)
Are the Saudis mad about what Don the Orange is doing?
Taking out the prime Shia theocracy is approved of by more than one side.
Seems to me that Bush the Younger’s failure to understand the Shia/Sunni divide in Iraq turned their clever plan into a fiasco.
Is it possibly good for the stability of the region for the ones what control the holy city to clearly take power via the trade acquired mercenary assistance of their Viking allies?
Methinks a big part of this goes back to 680 AFingD.
50
Why Is Australia Not Already Rationing Fuel?
Reported to be comments from an Australian fuel wholesaler…
Section headings:
1. Australian fuel is 90% imported these days, mainly from Asia.
2. Not all crude oils are the same.
3. While Brent crude has gone from say 70 to 100 USD/barrel (ie roughly 40%), refined products like diesel, petrol and jet fuel, have spiked far higher relatively speaking.
4. Regional Australia wholesale diesel All the oil majors (Mobil, BP, Ampol etc) are understandably holding onto their own product to keep supplying their own retail stations (this was the case last week at least).
5. Conclusion/generic thoughts
From the comments:
I also find it cute that the author thinks that electrifying farm equipment etc is a good idea.
…
But I’m amazed that the NZ government hasn’t already instituted mandatory fuel rationing, as (with no operating refineries) we get all of our diesel fuel “just-in-time” from Asia, and Asia is in no position to keep supplying us from their own rapidly depleting reserves.
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/why-australia-not-already-rationing-fuel
I wonder if the Kwinana (formerly) refinery can be “re-born”.
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” Why Is Australia Not Already Rationing Fuel? ”
Isn’t pleading with motorists to ‘take only what you need’ and ‘don’t be unAustralian’, enough. ?
30
We appear to have no real leadership, just more waffle, denial and wishful thinking.
I recall rationing in the late 60s early 70s mainly in response to assorted Sydney refinery and terminal disputes. Sometimes purchase limits , but if I recall correctly mostly “odds and evens” days based on your rego plate to reduce queing at servos by halving daily demand
30
For those unfamiliar with ice core physics.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/03/20/blurring-the-past-how-ice-core-physics-undermines-unprecedented-co₂-claims/
01
Since maybe 1970s the media here and foreign developed countries media, many the same group globally, quote out of context, accept anonymous leaks from sources that refuse to be publicly named, and generally lean towards partisan political positions, stories do not necessarily allow facts to get in the way.
And the beat ups, I viewed President Trump talking to media with the Japanese PM alongside, he in a joking and friendly way referred to a question about supporting Israel deployment in Iran and secrecy, he said smiling that Japan did not tell the US they would attack Pearl Harbour before US entered WW2, and that is an accurate comment. The Japanese PM in typical Japanese fashion giggled and placed her hand across her mouth momentarily, and then complimented President Trump.
The media reported it was an embarrassing Trump moment???
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FWIW
“”The Lancet” enhances it’s reputation?
“Lancet: 0.5C Global Warming by 2050 will Turn Us All into Unhealthy Couch Potatoes”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/03/17/lancet-0-5c-global-warming-by-2050-will-turn-us-all-into-lazy-couch-potatoes/
40
I missed this, perhaps better yesterday, but ‘Stark raving mad’: Ray Hadley fires up over petrol crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n660N6lDZE8
I think he won’t be sending Easter chocolates to Chris Bowen.
30
Bowen – Buggering Our Working Energy Network. 😁
80
Back when Bowen was Immigration Minister a former workmate of mine was PA to a very high ranking member of that Dept.
He was regarded as a joke and totally incompetent even then.
I want to know who amongst his handlers has all the kompromat that has seen him not only given a safe seat in Parliament but senior Ministerial positions under 3 different PMs despite his total lack of ability.
80
Members of Congress and their families were secretly treated with ivermectin for COVID-19.
https://x.com/GinaSaysSo/status/2035020717108949418
I’m shocked, shocked I say! 😆
80
The MDB Plan is a disaster.
‘Years before the WWF-Purves-Turnbull corporate takeover, the Murray-Darling was a mature, working Basin of irrigated dominantly family-run farms. Governed by State agreements through the Ministerial Council the model balanced production, community, and stewardship as intended by the Constitution. The system was built on enterprise, opportunity and flexibility – the only viable strategy for a landscape defined by extremes.
‘The MDB Plan, by contrast, radically mandates a “steady state” in a boom-and-bust environment. Its failings are now being conceded even by the “professor-class” who once championed it, with some now calling it a “$13 billion, 30-year flop.” The Barmah Choke is the Plan’s physical checkmate.’ (Bill Johnston / Quadrant)
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A numerical glitch or Hawaii’s Maunakea volcano was snap-frozen overnight?
http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/current/road-conditions/
(scroll down to temperatures at bottom).
20 March 18:14 Hawaii Time, 615 mb.
-39.3 C min temp, -66.9 C windchill
+0.5 C max temp, -32.2 C windchill
-1.6 C present temp, -9.5 C windchill
The week-and-a-half-long kona storm / blizzard has finally moved on and cleared, however another new winter storm is forecast to roll in during the next few days… but -40 C up on the Big Island’s summit?
30
It’s a long way up, and yes, evidently it does get that cold on occasion.
The astronomers up there have been known to bitch about what it does to their instruments when it happens.
20
Larry:
you mean the instruments revert to the proper readings?
20
Another example of two beneficiaries of private sector entrepreneurs deceased estates who have used their fortunes to create more wealth and like many others with similar family history choose the climate change/global warming political pathway which is also a wealth creation opportunity.
I do not doubt their sincerity about environmental protection or criticise wealth creation and private sector based free enterprise.
However there are a number of examples of pastoral properties being purchased and turned over as wildlife sanctuaries where feral animals hide, wild dogs and Dingo cross breeds, pigs, etc. And farmland adjoining suffering not only a bushfires risk but attacks on farm animals and kills.
60
FWIW
On the one hand
“Energy Dominance 2.0: Permian Basin Edition
4 hours ago David Middleton 7 Comments
Guest “Making American ‘Shale’ Greater Again” by David Middleton
As noted in a previous post, the Permian Basin would rank 4th in the world in natural gas production, if US plays were ranked as nations. Well, a new EIA analysis of “tight oil and shale gas production” ranks the Permian Basin, behind only Saudi Arabia and Russia in crude oil production, above every other oil producing nation on Earth…”
More at
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/03/20/energy-dominance-2-0-permian-basin-edition/
On the other – in comments there
“RickWill
March 20, 2026 9:08 pm
Australia and UK are converting their fleets to wind power until the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.
The immediate goal is to get electric tractors and trucks so the summer harvest can be reaped and shipped to market.
The head of Australia’s Climate Change™ Authority, Anthea Harris, has been given a new role to secure liquid fuel supplies now that NetZero has been achieved sooner than expected.
NetZero is not turning out quite as expected though. No fuel at pumps and no food at supermarkets is not what the city folk thought NetZero actually meant. It is not as cute and cuddly at it was advertised.
You might think I made up the bit about Anthea Harris – nope – it s the biggest joke yet on the Australian voters.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/appointment-fuel-supply-taskforce-coordinator
Anthea Harris is formerly the CEO of the Australian Energy Regulator and the former Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Security Board. Prior to this,”
40
another Ian:
Do you mean that “she” is Bowen in disguise?
10
“NetZero is not turning out quite as expected. No fuel at pumps and no food at supermarkets is not what
the city folk thought NetZero actually meant. It is not as cute and cuddly at it was advertised.”
As Thomas Sowell said re realists and progressivists,the one constrained by realism, the other impelled
by idealism.
70
FWIW
“Mischief Is Important”
“The UK’s censorship agency, Ofcom, issued 4chan with a giant fine today…”
“The UK’s censorship agency, Ofcom, issued 4chan with a giant fine today.
We responded to Ofcom with a giant hamster today.”
https://x.com/prestonjbyrne/status/2034551030453539149
https://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2026/03/19/mischief-is-important-86/
00
FWIW – wishing upon stars
“The “Spiral of Silence” is Concealing Majority Support for Climate Action”
“It’s not that nobody cares, its just people worried about the imminent end of the world are too shy to speak up.”
Concludes
“I guess it was inevitable that greens would lay claim to supporters who are too shy to speak up. I mean, anyone who claims we are in the midst of a climate emergency nobody can see has the capacity to imagine supporters who nobody can hear.”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/03/20/climate-activists-claim-supporters-are-staying-quiet-because-of-the-spiral-of-silence/
20
ALP in a canter. ON a washout in the house.
00
It appears that ON ha been relegated to keeping the bar stewards honest. Early count has a strong showing in the upper house.
20
Put your pom poms away Hans.
It’s the Libs who have been relegated based on progress counting. A primary vote less than ON. 23% ON to 20 Lib. Obviously a long way to go. But you’re celebrating ON’s failure a bit early on those numbers.
ON are a chance at three seats. Which is three more than I would have thought. A successful election given where they were.
This is a lesson the Libs needed and it might be one they’ll learn too late.
We need a viable opposition to Labor. Not just a soft mirror of them. If the Libs won’t provide it then ON are going to gain. Either through genuine viability or straight out voter frustration with a lack of principles and conviction in the Liberal party.
Even if ON don’t get a seat. Especially as party preferencing recommendations will work against them. This is the result we had to have to wake the Libs up.
ON may shrivel and be relegated in coming elections. But not today.
The coalition must not treat One Nation as the enemy. Labor / Greens are.
70
Maybe you one nation supporters should stop treating the Libs as the enemy. That’s a novel thought. 🙂
Labor are my enemy. I am primarily interested in defeating them and will support anyone on the right who can do so, including Paulene who I have always voted for.
What are the seats ON can win so I can have a look?
42
MacKillop, Hammond, Ngadjuri, and I think Mawson and Narungga might be in play. Definitely MacKillop and Hammond are real chances.
It’s going to be hard to tell because the SA electoral commission is playing funny buggers with One Nation candidates being in the top 2 and won’t be estimating preferences for a two candidate prediction until maybe Monday.
I’ve never considered Libs the enemy. But they’ve become their own enemy.
I’m just disappointed with them and they need a kick.
60
ALP counted as 28 seats in the lower house and has Governement. Libs 6. One Nation 0 Independents 2,
So far!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/sa/2026/results?sortBy=latest&filter=all&selectedRegion=all&selectedParty=all&partyWonBy=all&partyHeldBy=all
Not all bad for One Nation. They may still win seat in the lower house.
The Primary Vote matters as an indicator of the Federal vote.
20
See comment #1.
One Nation seems to have successfully stuffed the Liberal Party. A Strong Start.
30
You are cheering the failure of a non labor party?
10
“You are cheering the failure of a non labor party?”
No non-Labor Party failed… only Labor-lite failed and well-deserved too. When the liberals, well, if the liberals ever re-emerge as a pro-Capitalist freedom orientated party of the Right, they will be worth voting for. Until then we might a well vote Labor back in, at least they have a philosophy and the honesty to follow it.
71
The SA Labor Treasurer interviewed Friday night was happy to say that there have been good governments in Australia Liberal and Labor (Coalition Liberal National originally Country Party) and that voters are in his view best served by the two sides with expertise and experience and organisational strengths.
On Saturday night as a commentator Labor Federal Cabinet Minister Amanda Rishworth commented that Australians are mostly in the middle or centre and political parties must have policies and achievements for that majority to attract support.
What she did not mention is that the Labor far left (union controlled and unions donate to the Greens far left) now dominate the Labor right, being centre left factions, that have in the past dominated Labor governments and oppositions more often than not.
And that NSW Labor Premier, the late Neville Wran QC, adopted the masquerading as right position and won the election in NSW 1976, and he recommended the strategy to Federal Labor Opposition Leader Bob Hawke and Labor won the 1983 Federal election.
Noting as well that Wran and Hawke were already centre left Labor, as compared to, for example, PM Albanese from the far left and as a student activist associated with groups including Australian Communist Party, and a follower of the late Russian revolutionary Marxist Leon Trotsky.
Labor Victoria are fellow travellers and the former last Labor Premier Dan Andrews and Anthony Albanese are reported to be very close.
00
Have you read the links I posted at #21 #23 yesterday to Joanne Nova?
https://joannenova.com.au/2026/03/how-to-solve-the-australian-fuel-crisis-we-could-be-self-sufficent/
00
Peter C , one tranch of the uniparty down one to go .
21
Also need to point out if the Libs weren’t so stupid they would have done a preference deal with one nation .
30
As of the latest data, South Australia has an enrolment of approximately 1,270,400 electors, which reflects a high enrolment rate compared to other states. For instance, New South Wales has around 5,467,993 enrolled voters, while Victoria has about 4,339,960, indicating that South Australia’s enrolment is significantly lower than these larger states.
20
Relevance?
Typically Greens candidates and other minors use Tasmania and South Australia for entry to the Upper House Canberra and States.
The electorate voting numbers are advantageous.
00