tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post1752136469794167280..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: Leaving us hangingAndrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-54342290918798094712016-07-07T00:11:15.483+10:002016-07-07T00:11:15.483+10:00You might have national issues in mind as you vote...You might have national issues in mind as you vote locally, but vote locally you do. Long can be excellent.Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-62428691152442222882016-07-07T00:09:49.776+10:002016-07-07T00:09:49.776+10:00Yes, but she got over it - particularly after the ...Yes, but she got over it - particularly after the approval of the Galilee Basin coalmine straight after the Paris conference on climate change.Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-53410582260717398302016-07-06T13:18:15.857+10:002016-07-06T13:18:15.857+10:00Reversing the dominant (neo-con) program would aff...Reversing the dominant (neo-con) program would affect the rich the most. I want them to feel it.audioiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08749850258643202118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-68410505866813060942016-07-06T10:26:40.803+10:002016-07-06T10:26:40.803+10:00The voting in Mayo was very localThe voting in Mayo was very localBooks Booze Blatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14750293688695458890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-3547769459047582102016-07-05T15:24:35.717+10:002016-07-05T15:24:35.717+10:00The thing is, that IMHO the narrative of 'inev...The thing is, that IMHO the narrative of 'inevitable Coalition victory' played right into Labor's hands. How often in previous elections have we seen the (almost farcial) battle to be declared as the 'underdog' in order to properly manage expectations? Here, notwithstanding that the election is, for all intents and purposes, a dead heat, Labor and associated other left-wingers are cock-a-hoop, and will be seen as winners. The Coalition, on the other hand, are furious, despondent, bitter and are pointing fingers.<br /><br />If only there's been some serious commentary along the lines of "Gee, guys, the polling has remained stuck around 50/50 for a few months, this is going to be really, really close. Don't show hubris." you had the far-righties expecting a righteous thrashing, and abusing Turnbull because the polls weren't 3+ points off!Aussiesmurfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11072680060029299422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-10032005375932558582016-07-05T13:20:48.957+10:002016-07-05T13:20:48.957+10:00I was thinking about Bob right through the electio...I was thinking about Bob right through the election 'campaigns' and wondering what he would have writing. Miss his blog a great deal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-90838388108930753292016-07-05T11:01:07.306+10:002016-07-05T11:01:07.306+10:00Wasn't the figure that Sales interrupted Short...Wasn't the figure that Sales interrupted Shorten 27 times during his last interview? The figure for interruping Malcolm: 4.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-6092756315750178992016-07-05T10:58:56.717+10:002016-07-05T10:58:56.717+10:00Couldn't agree more. Two examples stood out to...Couldn't agree more. Two examples stood out to me:<br /><br />Cassidy at around 9pm on Saturday night saying without a hint of self-awareness: "I've said all night that this would be close".<br /><br />Kelly on Monday morning pleading with everyone she interviewed to agree with her that the only reason Labor had done so well was because they 'lied' about Medicare. <br /><br />The arrogance, as you say, is delusional.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-55922031399071980882016-07-05T09:40:35.357+10:002016-07-05T09:40:35.357+10:00Worth the wait Andrew, and I agree with all of tha...Worth the wait Andrew, and I agree with all of that (even the most vitriolic bits; actually, especially the most vitriolic bits). The media's love affair with Turnbull (to which he owes the fake "progressive conservative centrist" profile which got him positive polling and thus the PMship) and their disdain for Shorten - who embarassed many of their predictions just by making it to the election as leader, let alone with a chance of winning- was obvious. Leigh Sales badly dented a previously stirling reputation, but not the only one who came to grief, not by a long chalk.<br /><br />All that said, there is one point I think you overstated:<br /><br />"Nobody votes on a national basis."<br /><br />Plenty of people vote for the national leaders and the national issues (I do myself). I know "All politics is local" is a truism but it's also an exaggeration. Our Federal politics are not as Presidential as the US (ironically, the place where "All politics is local" originated from, and where it is least true) but it is somewhat. I would even say a majority do not know much if anything about their local member (and much less the local challengers). Local campaigns matter, but as a means of moving the needle with a few percent of voters, not as the basis on which the majority are voting.<br /><br />I would also add one other piece to the list of quality journalism: by the ABC's Stephen Long on the tax cut modelling. Naturally, Long's work was not picked up at all by the usual suspects, who just parroted the Coalition's growth claims as if they were set in stone.<br /><br />http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-03/long-the-strange-modelling-used-to-sell-company-tax-cuts/7473480Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-34079962720330382632016-07-04T17:49:13.238+10:002016-07-04T17:49:13.238+10:00Ron Tandberg provided the (only media) perceptive ...Ron Tandberg provided the (only media) perceptive observation about Jobs and Growth, when his typical voter asked "where's the fine print?" onmly to be told, "there's no fine print."<br />I'd also like to put in a plug for John Quiggin's term deliberative Parliament to replace hung Parliament.PJFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08664724463346713484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-60556415999851359612016-07-04T12:40:24.726+10:002016-07-04T12:40:24.726+10:00Good to read your insights again, Andrew but then ...Good to read your insights again, Andrew but then I think you've set yourself a dismal task and it must be hard to keep it up even if you're not busy. <br /><br />btw, I think Leigh Sales is a disgrace, as is Frankelly. Either they're angling for a job with Rupe's rags or they're seriously partisan. <br /><br />Also, isn't it good to see Bolt incandescent with rage? A very funny man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-83167185304954971092016-07-04T12:16:30.216+10:002016-07-04T12:16:30.216+10:00The role of the mainstream media in helping to cre...The role of the mainstream media in helping to create the disenfranchisement that so many voters now feel (both here are overseas) needs to be highlighted by more people like you, Andrew. The dominant economic program since 1989 has, inevitably, over-reached and the political task is to swing it back while minimising the pain on those who would feel it most. I find it a shame that most of the notionally independent / alternative media is so left-leaning as it detracts from what could otherwise be good analysis. In the MSM, only Peter Martin and Ross Gittins get my attention and of course they can be easily "branded". As long as the disenfranchised have only the likes of Hanson to speak for them, we're going backwards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-44493918261411383802016-07-04T11:33:16.544+10:002016-07-04T11:33:16.544+10:00 i miss Bob Ellis ! i miss Bob Ellis !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-61689752745744045562016-07-04T09:36:44.611+10:002016-07-04T09:36:44.611+10:00Got to question your assessment of Lenore Taylor. ...Got to question your assessment of Lenore Taylor. Turnbull had her star-struck from the time he became PM. FREDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02594165299175127206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-89957976508650522342016-07-04T08:29:31.167+10:002016-07-04T08:29:31.167+10:00Ìnsiders was telling, revealing to us all that Tur...Ìnsiders was telling, revealing to us all that Turnbull's "jobs and growth" was pretty hollow as far as plans go. Yes. But where I asked was that in any coverage of the election. No, as per usual, not there: the usual fare of Polls, personality and the LNP are better on the economy, Turnbull should be returned. Despite the "hollowness" of the policy platform. No commentary at all on a government that had been demonstrably rudderless for it's entire term having failed to get a budget thru the senate. Makes you wonder if we need govts at all, let alone a press gallery. Fairfax had some interesting pieces on why the fuss and bother over the different deficit predictions and why until inequality is grappled with, this is the new political reality. Hung parliaments or slender majorities will indeed be more common than not. The majors will have to deal with Senates that reflect that. And again, where was the reporting on the govts palpable failure to deal with the cross benchers? Cate Taylornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-79699843077709738732016-07-04T01:01:16.427+10:002016-07-04T01:01:16.427+10:00For perhaps three months prior to the start of the...For perhaps three months prior to the start of the campaign national polls indicated 50:50 pp. During the campaign the national polls did not shift. After the count the pp was surprise, surprise, 50:50. And the chuckle heads in the media are all agog at the result. Election after election they talk in awe about the mystical 'internal polling' they and only they are allowed access too thanks to their symbiotic (sycophantic) relationship to the halls of power which give them Nostradamus like forecasting ability. And when their incompetence is revealed the day after, not one of them have the integrity to say, Jesus, I got that one wrong because to do so would be to admit as a group of professionals, they are valueless. Like you Andrew, I've had it with all of them bar La Tingle. PVO, Kenny, Murray et al exude a smug arrogance that can only shine from the delusional. AntiBolterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10351938784232328851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-65655796384271273122016-07-03T23:58:53.014+10:002016-07-03T23:58:53.014+10:00No need to apologise Andrew, most of your regular ...No need to apologise Andrew, most of your regular readers expected you to wait until after the election was over before you ripped into the truly atrocious mainstream political journalism on that long drawn out saga.<br />Most people had tuned out and turned off long before the campaign had started in earnest so the opinions of the political pundits of the MSM meant nothing and had very little or no effect on the result.<br />A fairly good guide to how things are travelling is to be found in the number of people worked up enough to post comments to online articles of the MSM. The more comments the worse it is.<br />If you had followed the mood of the online commenter's on Fairfax, the Guardian, the ABC and the more politically even blog posts you would have noted the sentiment was most definitely not in the coalitions favour. <br />Uncle Rupes must be spitting chips right about now.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-8023951967661609332016-07-03T22:23:22.602+10:002016-07-03T22:23:22.602+10:00this from Peter Martin was also quite worthy on th...this from Peter Martin was also quite worthy on the history of Medicare<br />http://www.theage.com.au/comment/election-2016-whos-keenest-on-medicare-examine-bulkbilling-20160621-gpoqzeZac Spitzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02374370583117658384noreply@blogger.com