Brace yourselves as Queensland becomes the centre of the political universe …
Labor
A dumb reshuffle puts spotlight back on Gillard’s woes
Julia Gillard’s federal cabinet reshuffle — promoting Bill Shorten and Mark Arbib while sacking good ministers — again demonstrates her lack of judgment and fragility.
Is Labor’s ‘poor relationship with business’ such a bad thing?
Labor apparently has a bad relationship with business. But what exactly does that mean, and why do voters not have a problem with it?
Bonhomie thick at ALP conference as the deal-making begins
Prime Minister Gillard kicked off ALP National conference proceedings at the Sydney Convention Centre this morning by adopting Obama’s/Optus’ “yes” refrain, presumably to distinguish Labor from Tony Abbott’s negativity.
Nielsen: strong improvement for Gillard, modest for Labor
The latest Nielsen poll has Julia Gillard’s personal ratings up six points on approval and down five points on disapproval but Labor’s primary vote — 32 percent — is still dreadful, reports William Bowe.
$80k pay day for Labor as CFMEU rejoins WA fold
The West Australian branch of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union is poised to re-affiliate with the Labor Party in that state, injecting up to $80,000 a year into ALP coffers and burying once and for all a bitter 2007 spat with foreign minister Kevin Rudd.
Newspoll: 57-43 to Coalition
The latest Newspoll has Labor recovering three points from their record low primary vote last time, but continuing to languish on 29%, reports William Bowe.
Time for Gillard to put away funny hats, fluoro vests
What do you do when your tactics are completely failing and defeat is looming? Some people might decide to try something different but not the Australian Labor Party.
Newspoll: the Baillieu government’s honeymoon bounce
Labor’s primary vote of 28 percent in Victoria offers the party new cause for woe: they have now had results in the twenties federally and in all five states covered by Newspoll, writes William Bowe.
Outgoing Labor MP Gibbons to rivals: adhere to a ‘proper f-cking process’
Outgoing Labor MP Steve Gibbons has delivered an impressive sledge against internal ALP rivals.
What game theory says about Labor’s woes
Faced with their opponents abandoning sound policy, what should Labor do? Maybe do the same, says one theory.
The Power Index: could a six-year-old s-x scandal really bring Gillard undone?
Could a six-year-old sex scandal really bring Julia Gillard’s minority government undone? The Power Index’s Matthew Knott reports.
Essential: voters prefer Coalition if there’s another GFC
Voters prefer the Coalition if there’s another GFC, and they’re convinced there’s a surge of asylum seekers coming to Australia.
Under pressure: leaning on lobby groups over the carbon tax
Brad Kitschke, head of the Australian Sporting Goods Association and leader of the Fair Imports Alliance, has claimed that Tony Abbott’s office effectively told him that the opposition would support his group on the GST issue if it came out against the carbon tax.
Essential: Gillard under the hammer, support for a carbon price down
Julia Gillard’s support has collapsed among voters and she now trails Tony Abbott as preferred Prime Minister.
Political snippets: Carbon tax equates to a hiding in polls
While the carbon tax debate is about something that’s going to happen, Labor is in for a public opinion poll hiding.
Crikey Says: Crikey says: Climate Change Authority key to carbon future
One of the better aspects of the carbon price package revealed yesterday is its governance arrangements.
Cynical weakness v economic
irrationalism
The Government appears unconvinced it should be in power, and the Opposition will say anything, no matter how ridiculous, to confirm that.
Possum: Labor’s worst month in government
This quarter has seen everything move towards the Coalition.
No recovery for a leader too much like the man she knifed
Julia Gillard has not been able to give voters a sense of who she is beyond the woman who knifed Kevin Rudd.
Pobje: Why does everybody think Labor is knackered?
Labor is getting thumped by the media and in the polls, but when it comes to complex issues and long term reform people should be patient. A humane carbon-neutral country is in the mail, writes Ben Pobje.
Crikey Says: Splitting climate change on party lines
One of the striking elements about the public’s belief in climate change that emerges from today’s Essential Report findings is its highly politicised nature.
Guy Rundle: Faulkner’s Seinfeld moment — it’s all about nothing
John Faulkner’s Wran oration — described as the “speech of his life” — is, in fact, his Seinfeld moment: it is a speech about nothing. Labor’s problems go much deeper.
Why is the federal government always in such a hurry?
One feature of this federal government is that it is always in a hurry. There is no patience to wait until everything is in order before making an announcement. Slow down! says Richard Farmer.
In politics, impressions are paramount
Julia Gillard obviously reasoned that she could burn her base without consequence but what she forgot, and what the Labor party had better remember very soon, is that modern politics is largely about impressions, writes Jeremy Sear.
