Support for Abbott Govt Collapses to New Low
There’s wiggle room: it’s not like he’s signed his name to it & then stood in front of a pic of himself endorsing it….
Support for the Coalition has slumped with a new poll showing the Abbott Govt is now behind Labor on a two party preferred basis at 48 to 52 per cent.
The Nielsen poll follows a tough few weeks for the Coalition, which has faced a backlash over efforts to change racial anti-discrimination laws and has been mocked for the restoration of knights and dames.
According to the survey of 1400 voters taken between last Thursday and Saturday, Labor’s primary vote fell 1 per cent to sit at 34 per cent, while the government’s dropped four to 40 per cent.
Only a third of Australians back the decision to reinstate the British titles, while nine out of 10 believe it should continue to be unlawful to “offend, insult or humiliate” based on race or ethnicity.
theguttertrash.com 
KERRY O’BRIEN: But what you haven’t explained is how you can make one promise in one month and then completely change it the next. What happened in that month where you had this sudden explosion of vision?
TONY ABBOTT: Well, again, Kerry, people will make their own judgments about me and if they …
KERRY O’BRIEN: No, but I’d like you to explain it. Tony Abbott feels with conviction we will not have a new tax in any way, shape or form, we won’t have a new tax; a month later, you do.
TONY ABBOTT: Well, again Kerry, I know politicians are gonna be judged on everything they say, but sometimes, in the heat of discussion, you go a little bit further than you would if it was an absolutely calm, considered, prepared, scripted remark, which is one of the reasons why the statements that need to be taken absolutely as gospel truth is those carefully prepared scripted remarks.
KERRY O’BRIEN: So every time you make a statement, we have to ask you whether it’s carefully prepared and scripted or whether it’s just something on the fly? No, seriously; this is a very serious question.
TONY ABBOTT: But all of us, Kerry, all of us when we’re in the heat of verbal combat, so to speak, will sometimes say things that go a little bit further.
KERRY O’BRIEN: Mr Abbott, we’re not all leaders of major political parties who are either Prime Minister or aspiring to be.
TONY ABBOTT: True, true, true.
KERRY O’BRIEN: Would you agree there is extra onus on you …
TONY ABBOTT: Absolutely right. Absolutely right.
KERRY O’BRIEN: … to be accurate and honest and make promises that can be trusted?
TONY ABBOTT: Absolutely right.
KERRY O’BRIEN: But that time, you couldn’t?
TONY ABBOTT: But the thing is I made a statement in a radio interview in February and then I think in March I made a commitment to paid parental leave. Now, …
KERRY O’BRIEN: Which was the opposite of what you’d said the month before.
TONY ABBOTT: Well, it wasn’t absolutely consistent with what I said the month before.
KERRY O’BRIEN: It was the opposite! One month you say no new tax, the next month you say a $2.7 billion tax.
TONY ABBOTT: OK. This is an argument that we could well have had in March and we did have it in March and a lot of people pointed out back then that there was a bit of inconsistency and I accept that. There is a bit of inconsistency.
KERRY O’BRIEN: Is that why your colleagues over the years have come to call you “The Weathervane”?
Howard got the a**e because people thought he had become politically expedient/dishonest.
Rudd the first was popular when knifed, but the concern was that he was about to be perceived as politically expedient/dishonest.
Gillard always was politically expedient/dishonest, so she was deeply unpopular.
Rudd the 2nd was seen to be leading a politically expedient/dishonest government, therefore gone.
Now Abbott. He said he wouldn’t be politically expedient/dishonest, but he is.
Gone.
“Now Abbott. He said he wouldn’t be politically expedient/dishonest, but he is.
Gone.”
Indeed… And he’s accomplished it in record time too!
What did all the aspirational nose led piss puppets think he would get better with age?
I think that we can safely assert that Abbott has exceeded our expectations of stratospheric stupidity in spades even by his high standards of s past form of fucktardery….
Howard got the a**e because people thought he had become politically expedient/dishonest.
Howard got the arse because people woke up to the fact that he lied and was deceptive in the extreme … Gillard got the arse because she the media picked up the cry from Murdoch that she was a liar …
OK, ToM … then I read the rest of yer post … agree …
Yeah. Noisepolls. But we are still stuck with Mr-Rabbit and his reheated zombies for the next two-an`a-bit years. The train wreckage has only just began.
‘The train wreckage has only just began.’
No he’s a consumate politician and should win the next election easily, with infrastructure building on a massive scale.
“Gillard got the arse because she the media picked up the cry from Murdoch that she was a liar …”
Gillard IS a liar.
She shook hands, verbally agreed and signed a document that she would do what Andrew Wilkie wanted re: gambling reform to win his vote.
Gillard got Wilkies vote and then reneged on the deal
A week ago Essential saw no real change, steady as you go.
http://essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport
‘I think the truth is Australia’s relationships with China, Japan, India and Indonesia all went backwards over the last five years… When you go round and lecture people — I think you’d know who I’m talking about — some people don’t take it that well.’
James Packer
Newspoll sees it differently.
‘Despite the Coalition facing a swing of more than 5 percentage points against it in the West Australian Senate re-run election, its primary support nationally has risen to its highest since November.
‘According to the latest Newspoll survey, taken exclusively for The Australian at the weekend when the WA Senate election was under way, the Coalition’s primary vote rose from 40 two weeks earlier to 43 per cent and Labor’s went from 36 per cent to 34 per cent, its lowest since the first week of November.’
Shanahan / Oz
Abbott’s gone! Only two and a half years to go, and he’ll be outta there! That’s just 30 months, which is only 912 days. Not long to go now, Labor barrackers. 🙂
“Howard got the arse because people woke up to the fact that he lied and was deceptive in the extreme”
No. 48% of the Australian population do not care about things like that. They will always vote ALP.
The deceitful ALP managed to fool 3 or 4% extra to vote for them.
Hey Kneel is that a core or a non core statement..was it considered or non considered in the clear light if day? 🙄
””””””””””””’What ‘debate’? To call it that, you have to assume that Andrew Bolt’s readership constitutes a political constituency, which it doesn’t. This was the mistake Howard made in 1998 and it almost cost him government. Abbott is much less deft than Howard; for a start, Howard could see that Brandis was a liability, whereas Abbott indulges him again and again (travel rorts, the bookcase, Tim Wilson, and now the soon-to-be-iconic s18 of the Racial Discrimination Act. What next?)
http://andrewelder.blogspot.com/2014/04/good-news-for-confused.html
”””””””””””””””””
#teabag-pounding 🙂
‘….there are realignments going on between Labor and the Greens, conflicts and allegiances far more profound than anything seen on the left in the 1950s.’
I’ll pay that.
I mean, it’s not like he paid for an entire billboard or anything and signed it.
‘TOUGHER pension rules are likely to be pushed beyond the next election as Tony Abbott vows to keep his campaign promise not to change pensions, but to get the budget under control.
‘However, The Australian understands the sustainability of the pension remains an “active’’ discussion in the government’s expenditure review committee this week and that no final decision has been taken on any changes to income or assets tests.’
Sid Maher
… embrace or reject? They don’t know the answer to that from recent public discourse?
Keep ’em concerned for another three years? Really good for forward planning
Just who is running this country?
It seems fine to me that the government would outline plans, allow the public plenty of consideration, then seek to implement teh changes following the next election.
Gillard’s HUGE mistake was that she didn’t do this re the carbon tax (among other examples of expediency).
Like this decision, ToM? obviously made by people who have never lived on the bread line … capped at $72 a year it still hits those who can least afford it … unless there is a concession for very ill and very poor people …
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/hit-for-bulkbill-gp-visits-in-budget/story-fn59nokw-1226891638592#
These decisions also become the thin edge of the wedge … this year $6, next year $8, the following $10 … John Howard always wanted to dismantle Medicare … seems his Private School Bullies have “graduated” …
Demonstrates a particularly mean catlike mindset …
Bill Shorten
Well, Bill, got the first bit wrong … the ALP put themselves in Opposition … but he got the second bit right …
And I really like this …
Let’s hope it happens …
http://www.news.com.au/national/bill-shorten-moves-to-distance-labor-from-union-movement/story-fncynjr2-1226891439094
‘Demonstrates a particularly mean catlike mindset …’
Did you read the Bolter’s article on the new bigotry?
TB, the indications are that this government is full of a similar amount of bullsh!t as the last one, this seems to push people towards nutcases like Clive Palmer.
It is just a pity the Democrats aren’t viable these days, the situation is made for a political party that puts ethics front and centre.
————-
Personally, I don’t really have a problem with a part payment to see the doctor, but $6 capped at $72pa is so low that it is hardly worth implementing.
————-
And it is remarkable that what was portrayed as so deeply anti ALP (the negative effect of union affiliation) when I made the comments in 2007 is now spruiked by just about every ALP politician around.
There has been a clear need for fundamental reform of the ALP for almost 20 years, and sensible ALP people acknowledged this back in the 1990s.
Bigotry is the prejudice of other people.
“Demonstrates a particularly mean catlike mindset …”
Do you have a solution to rapidly rising heath care costs??
I guess you would say we should tax the rich more.
I don’t really have a problem with a part payment to see the doctor, but $6 capped at $72pa is so low that it is hardly worth implementing.
Hospital waiting rooms are already full of people who should’ve just gone to a GP instead, the $6 fee will only exacerbate this problem.
Not if you charge $50 upfront for any non-emergency treatment at hospital emergency departments.
Doctors waiting rooms are crowded with plenty of people rorting their sick leave and worker comp claims.
They won’t be going to emergency depts at hospitals, and they can afford to pay part of the expense of attending the doctors.
‘Bigotry is the prejudice of other people.’
This is becoming increasingly apparent.
‘If we did commit to a real airport at Badgerys Creek, much of the funding could come from the redevelopment and sale of the prime land at Mascot.
‘Why, I imagine we could realise at least billions from selling property there to Chinese buyers.’
Terry McCrann
Personally, I don’t really have a problem with a part payment to see the doctor, but $6 capped at $72pa is so low that it is hardly worth implementing.
Neither do I … but I do remember struggling with a wife and a couple of kids … and my parents struggling on the pension … not everyone is as fortunate as we are …
Do you have a solution to rapidly rising heath care costs??
I guess you would say we should tax the rich more.
Why ask the question if you know the answer … why should the poor ALWAYS have to get governments out of the shit … (and no I’m not poor – but have been) …
Perceived bigotry is oft mistaken for fact … eg
Not if you charge $50 upfront for any non-emergency treatment at hospital emergency departments.
What a simple technique to make it even harder for people with limited/no disposable income to survive in the rich man’s economy … most surgeries close around five … I see some after hours services are starting up here tho’ and bulk billing …
Why not cut $750 million from the EX-pollie’s handouts over the next four years* … maybe its time for our own Robin Hood …
The $750 mill could already have been $748 mill if Bill, Kate and little Georgy (a cute little lad, actually)had stayed at home, or, The Firm, had paid for its own marketing campaign …
This government can no more handle money and budgets than the last one …
*and then those who still have their noses in the trough …
🙂 🙂 🙂
“This government can no more handle money and budgets than the last one “
I suspect you came to this “conclusion” the day after the election.
It would be nice if just for once the ALP does not hand the incoming Coalition a trashed budget.
We are in great danger of losing our AAA credit rating meaning we will have to pay a higher interest rate on borrowed money.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/executive-paywatch-report-reveals-how-much-ceos-of-top-companies-are-actually-making/story-e6frfmci-1226891186235
‘….we will have to pay a higher interest rate on borrowed money.’
That is not going to happen, Abbott is relying on direct investment from China, selling old infrastructure for new, with government a 20% stake holder. No need to borrow coin.
ALP supporters really annoy me.
They hand the incoming govt deficits of $-27B, -$54B, -$47B. -$43B and who knows what else and they are condemned for not cleaning up the mess in seven months.
But over at Cafe Lunatic asylum deficits do not matter. Apparently we are sovereign in our currency and can just print money to pay our bills or something like that.
Same thing happened in 1996. Keating funded things by borrowing money resulting in a quadrupling in our Federal debt.
(Coincidentally, David Cameron also does seem to inspire the best and/or worst in bigots whenever he pens the odd public missive.)
“”Demonstrates a particularly mean catlike mindset …”
And I’m sure you were of the same opinion when it was first proposed by Bob Hawke back in 1992 or thereabouts.
Keating (a Catholic) put a stop to it
M,
Funny how people who throw stones etc etc …
””””””’Hospital waiting rooms are already full of people who should’ve just gone to a GP instead, the $6 fee will only exacerbate this problem.””””’
#Fully agree reb, good point.
””who should’ve just gone to a GP(or_dentist) instead, the $6””
At the bottom of the economy, `dental` already falls into this category, it`s #False-Economy, they refuse to have dental-basic(drill`n`fill/yank`bad`tooth) in health-care, but then get stuck with 20K-$30K for critical infection/surgery, total idiocy.
#But once again following proven failed model of teh-usa.
lt will be interesting to see if Mr-Rabbit takes a `hit` now that the $12-13bn waste on flying garbage-tins has been announced. Noise-poll watchers should update this thread.
Ha-ha Mr-Eleventy has said his electorate of North-Sydney has one of the highest bulk-bill(medicare) rates in Aust.
He should have also went on to say the North-shore is also one of the best serviced, if not `the-best` serviced by `public` transport too. #TroughSnouting #Teabags