Do we have a politics thread to discuss things political?

[FatPants]

Exactly, and I really didn't think they would. But LNP voters switched to Labor and One Nation... so there weren't nearly enough preferences to flow back to them. That says a lot about how the electorate feels about them. Dutton's seat is under huge pressure now because he only holds it by 2%, so the Libs would have to be stupid to roll Turnbull for him. JBish may get a look in now though? Interesting times.

The federal election can't come soon enough (but given this result, I don't think the government will be in any hurry now).

I cannot tell you how happy I will be when Dutton loses his seat at the next federal election (hopefully).

 

[Consuela]

Great result! The ALP shouldn't even have won Longman. It's a Liberal seat that they won by 0.8% last time due to preference votes and today they smashed it out of the ball park. Malcolm must be rocking in the corner right about now.

Exactly, and I really didn't think they would. But LNP voters switched to Labor and One Nation... so there weren't nearly enough preferences to flow back to them. That says a lot about how the electorate feels about them. Dutton's seat is under huge pressure now because he only holds it by 2%, so the Libs would have to be stupid to roll Turnbull for him. JBish may get a look in now though? Interesting times.

The federal election can't come soon enough (but given this result, I don't think the government will be in any hurry now).

I know the areas in Longman fairly well with family and friends having lived/or living there, so I always suspected Longman would remain ALP. The suburbs along the Bruce Hwy are all fairly safe Labor areas with those areas along the D'Aguilar usually LNP. It's the Bribie area that seems to swing the most and we saw a swing to Labor there. With the demographics of the area being what they are (no comment) what votes PHON did get most would have gone back to Labor. Also I feel the cuts to penalty rates coupled with the 'smoothing' of those higher tax brackets had more of an impact than any medal drama. Something to worry about if I were the LNP.

 

[timmy]

what votes PHON did get most would have gone back to Labor

Indeed, I read today, despite PHON's how to vote directing people to vote LNP 2nd preference, 40% voted ALP instead.

 

[Columbo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1025522984356728832

(GBR stands for great barrier reef)

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/na...m/news-story/1f54ab2ab358d210d7a4d0b2d9ac015e

Bill Shorten has described Malcolm Turnbull’s “captain’s call” to give almost half a billion dollars in federal funding to the corporate-funded Great Barrier Reef Foundation without any tender process, as a “developing scandal”, saying the Prime Minister has questions to answer.

The Labor leader’s comments came after Mr Turnbull defended the decision, saying the government is proud of its investment in the health of the reef.

A Senate inquiry this week heard that the small not-for-profit environmental organisation which is otherwise funded by corporate entities including mining giants BHP, Rio Tinto and Orica received the $444.38 million grant following a private meeting in April between Mr Turnbull, Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg and foundation chair John Schubert.

https://kangaroocourtofaustralia.co...defending-malcom-turnbulls-444-million-fraud/

Nine’s Karl Stefanovic has come to Turnbull’s defence on Twitter defending the deal while knowingly concealing that the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is a sponsor of Channel 9.

 

[Columbo]

https://www.news.com.au/technology/...n/news-story/0e4651abe719068fdf3222cf11e2bc38

“A small foundation that employs six people walks into a meeting with the Prime Minister and having not asked for any money, walks away with a commitment of nearly half a billion dollars to do core work that previously had always been done by the department of the environment,” Mr Burke told Insiders.

Following the new system, if the government-funded CSIRO wanted to do specific research on the reef, it would now have to go to a private foundation, run by banking and mining executives, to ask permission to get taxpayer money.

On its website, the foundation suggests it has raised $90 million since it was created almost 20 years ago. But a Labor analysis of the foundation’s annual reports suggest the amount is closer to $44 million, or $25 million if you don’t include membership fees paid by the chairman’s panel.

“Neither the foundation nor the government has any evidence to back up the claim that it has a terrific capacity to leverage private donations from public money,” Senator Keneally told Fairfax Media.

The grant will make the foundation the biggest funder of reef science, something that concerns the ACF, given the organisation’s links to fossil fuel companies.

“The links to companies such as Peabody Energy, which has funded climate denial groups in the past, doesn’t sit comfortably with us,” he said.

The foundation’s largest donors in recent times have been mining companies BHP and Rio Tinto as well as Google, Lendlease, Boeing and Orica, which is the largest provider of explosives to mining and other companies.

Following the new system, if the government-funded CSIRO wanted to do specific research on the reef, it would now have to go to a private foundation, run by banking and mining executives, to ask permission to get taxpayer money.

When asked whether the foundation would be willing to lobby governments for policies to reduce emissions reduction, land clearing and stopping coalmines, Ms Marsden said: “It’s absolutely not in our strategic view at the moment, but we will always do what the reef needs us to do.”

So far the foundation says the $444 million will be distributed over several years and will be used for improving water quality, supporting reef resilience, fighting crown-of-thorns starfish, coastal clean-up days and reef monitoring.

quite the developing scandal......

 

[Columbo]

http://junkee.com/great-barrier-reef-foundation/170441

Junk Explained: Here’s Why People Think A $444M Government Grant Seems A Little… Fishy

For big grants like this one, the government usually goes through a tender process. In a tender process, charities and government organisations can put together a bid to try and win the grant.

There was no tender process for this grant.

As opposition leader Bill Shorten puts it: “Most Australians would be shocked to learn this prime minister personally just walks into a meeting and hands over nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money without a moment’s thought.”

 

[Affable]

Is there consideration of a leadership spill or something? Unsure what is going on.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...-could-come-under-threat-20180819-p4zycn.html

 

[Columbo]

It's a distraction from their corruption

 

[timmy]

Looked like Turnbull might get rolled for Dutton ( ) tonight but Dutton isn't even there, apparently.

 

[Columbo]

Dutton is scary whilst Malcolm is just an incompetent with bad judgement.

 

[timmy]

Dutton is scary whilst Malcolm is just an incompetent with bad judgement.

Gotta love Abbott forcing Turnbull into a watered down NEG, and then slamming him for doing it. He's such a prick (Abbott).

 

[kxk]

OMG
We have possibly the worst politicians................a bunch of vile white males, who care nothing for our nation, they just protect their personal pensions.
And just when you think it can't get worse, ewwwwwwwwww, slimey lizard man is creeping up from the bowels to pounce

Damn it Labor can't you hand the reigns to Penny, Shorten is the same as Turnbull, a nothing man

 

[Fiona]

I've never voted Liberal in my life and never will. I am not sure that Labor is all that much better and let's not go near Daniel Andrews.

 

[timmy]

I've never voted Liberal in my life and never will. I am not sure that Labor is all that much better and let's not go near Daniel Andrews.

Labor would be better if they showed a bit more spine. The key difference between Labour and the Libs is that Labor is awash with potential leaders, but the Libs just have a conga line of suckholes. Really, I mean Dutton? ScoMo? Abbott (again)?

 

[Columbo]

I think shorten still comes across as one of those factional backroom dealers he was all those years ago instead of an actual leader.

 

[kxk]

Shorten is just wimpy, he comes across as a private school boy who fell into the wrong company
I just cannot believe Labor hangs on to him
And OMG he does not resonate with Labor voters get rid of him

 

[Fiona]

Shorten is just wimpy, he comes across as a private school boy who fell into the wrong company
I just cannot believe Labor hangs on to him
And OMG he does not resonate with Labor voters get rid of him

Penny would be a good replacement.

 

[Fiona]

Labor would be better if they showed a bit more spine. The key difference between Labour and the Libs is that Labor is awash with potential leaders, but the Libs just have a conga line of suckholes. Really, I mean Dutton? ScoMo? Abbott (again)?

A conga line. I am seeing it now, lol. Yes, Labour is awash. They're more a flash mob than a conga.

 

[timmy]

Shorten is just wimpy, he comes across as a private school boy who fell into the wrong company
I just cannot believe Labor hangs on to him
And OMG he does not resonate with Labor voters get rid of him

Labor cannot roll Shorten now. If they tried to, and he didn't step down willingly, they have to go into a month long process to select a new leader under the new rules they set in order to prevent a repeat of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd fiasco. If they were to do this now, the Libs would call an election straight away in order to take advantage of the disarray... Even if they stick with Shorten (who I agree is kind of insipid) and go on to win the election, if they tried to roll him then they need 75% support for a replacement leader. So, we are stuck with him for now.

Penny would be a good replacement.

I absolutely adore Penny, she's fierce. She would be a fantastic PM. But some others who would be good are Tanya Plibersek and I also think Mark Butler's rather good (not that he's ever been considered a contender). Plus Albo although I think the others are better tbh.

 

[oddjob]

I’d back Penny Wong. I remember saying to a friend way back in the Howard days that if she wasn’t a woman, Asian, and gay people would be calling her a future Prime Minister. I’m not sure Australia is quite ready for all that just yet, and she seems genuinely reluctant about it - and I don’t blame her, she’d get 10 times the backlash Gillard got. Anyway most likely Shorten will get Labor over the line.

Anyone with any kind of sense in the Libs knows Turnbull is the best option for them. But if it gets to the point where a loss seems inevitable, the far right will want to go with Dutton or Abbott and put forward as much nasty shit as they can while they have the chance.