Tue 29 Apr
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ICYMI
Another story out of the Kooyong electorate – Libs threatening the local council on the permit that has been issued to all parties on the use of corflutes at the pre-poll booth.
Would this be the ultimate example of “fattening the pig on market day”.
Thanks for the work on the blog.
Greg (hi Tuck!) says:
There is something inherently wrong with an electoral system where all policies and costings aren’t made public before people vote. Early voting and postal voting see people making judgements without the full facts being presented for scrutiny and analysis. Currently the independent Parliamentary Budget Office legislation means that parties and candidates need only submit their policies and costings by 5:00 pm the day before the election. The verification of these by the PBO is released 30 days after the election!
I am not suggesting that we change the early voting and postal voting options; rather that we put in place measures whereby all parties and all candidates state what they intend to do and how they intend to pay for it, two weeks prior to the election.
For politicians to complain that it would be unfair, perhaps shows a lack of preparedness on to govern. For them to say that people only really pay attention during the last week of an election campaign shows that they think that the public don’t care about or value their vote.
Right now, we have a lot of last-minute policy releases and no costings. This allows pork barrelling to become rife as eleventh-hour pledges are made to marginal electorates. These pledges may amount to nothing after the election, because there never was any money to pay for them.
Politicians are applying for jobs. The closing dates for their full applications should be at the bare minimum two weeks prior to the decision being made. It is like the job applicant saying that they will take the job but only give you their CV after getting the job. No employer would find that acceptable, but politicians believe and expect that their employers should.
Would you look at that – actually standing for something can win you an unwinnable election.
Mark Carney, who took over from the Liberals when it seemed a complete and hopeless case that the party could maintain support for government, is expected to win the election.
A former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney came from outside the parliament and took a very different stance in international policy, including immediately muscling up to Trump.
Elbows up, Canada.
Looks like the Coalition campaign has had to reschedule its press conference today after anti-nuclear protesters (in hazmat suits) gatecrashed where the press conference was set up.
Climate and nature crises won’t pause while politics plays out.
The environment doesn’t care who’s in government — but Australians should. If we want to avoid catastrophic climate and biodiversity collapse, the next parliament has a clear path forward.
Here are five urgent, evidence-based actions ready to go:
You can read about in more detail here.
As polls close on election night and the count begins, Richard Denniss, Amy Remeikis and Ebony Bennett will be providing live reaction and analysis.
They’ll be joined by experts to explain the key issues of the campaign, unpack the intricacies of our electoral system, and give a preview of what our next Parliament could look like.
The live blog will also be active on election night!
The white men in the White House are trying to radically reshape modern America.
On the latest episode of After America, Dr Prudence Flowers joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the Trump administration’s attempts to ‘re-masculinise’ the American economy through tariffs, its efforts to undermine trans and reproductive rights, and how culture wars are playing out in Australian politics.
You can listen here:
The AEC just released yesterday’s pre-poll numbers, and they’re a doozy: 830,000 Australians cast their vote early on Monday, bringing the total to over three million (almost 20% of registered voters).
Last election the only day with more than 800,000 pre-poll votes was election eve (which tends to have the most pre-poll votes every election). Even factoring in a pause in early voting compared because of ANZAC day, this election is well on its way to break last election’s early voting record.
Wondering how pre-polling has evolved over time, and what the implications are of so many early votes? You can read more about that here.
Here is one of the Coalition’s mini announcements:
An elected Dutton Coalition Government will commit $3.5 million to build the Bob Proudfoot Pavilion at Francis Ryan Reserve in Sanctuary Point.
Francis Ryan Reserve is home to the St Georges Basin Dragons Rugby League Club as well as the Bay and Basin Cricket Club.
The works will see the existing amenities building at Francis Ryan Reserve demolished and replaced with the Bob Proudfoot Pavilion which will include changerooms and amenities for women and match officials, a verandah, a kiosk and store, fitness spaces, a ticket booth, and a terrace comms box.
Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, said that the Albanese Labor Government has left Sanctuary Point and the South Coast behind.
“This new pavilion will meet the needs of this growing community and the increased participation of young women and girls in rugby league and cricket.
“A Coalition Government I lead will never leave Sanctuary Point or the South Coast behind. The community has a powerful and experienced advocate for their needs in Andrew Constance.
“The South Coast can’t afford another three years of neglect by Labor.”
Meanwhile austerity continues to be the go in New Zealand, as AAP reports:
New Zealanders have been told to expect cuts and not a “lolly scramble” in next month’s budget, as the coalition government slashes its own allowance in order to meet its goal of returning to surplus in 2028.
Like many nations, New Zealand is struggling with a debt blowout due to COVID-era support spending.
Worsening the state of government books, New Zealand is also battling an economic recovery from a tough recession in 2024, with rising unemployment.
In that context, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has pledged to reduce her operating allowance in the May 22 budget to $NZ1.3 billion ($A1.2 billion), down from $NZ2.4 billion ($A2.2 billion).
“We will be spending billions less over the forecast period than would have otherwise been the case,” she said in a speech in Wellington on Tuesday.
“This will reduce the amount of extra borrowing our country needs to do over the next few years and it will keep us on track towards balanced books and debt reduction.”
Why the cuts? Well the conservative government has promised a return to surplus and an increase in defence spending. So what gets cut? Public services.
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