QLD LABOR LIMPS TO ELECTION

Queensland is heading for a state election on November 25 after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk locked in an early poll date as her minority government threatened to crash and burn. The Labor Premier was last week forced to disendorse backbencher Rick Williams, leaving her with the same number of MPs as the LNP opposition.

Palaszczuk launched her campaign at the weekend, warning that Opposition Leader and former treasurer Tim Nicholls would enter an alliance with One Nation and slash public services. Her speech was disrupted by anti-Adani protestors, highlighting the fine line Palaszczuk has to walk between appealing to regional voters and Brisbane residents. The dilemma could advantage the Greens, who are targeting three seats in Brisbane.

Nicholls’ own launch was dogged by commentary from his former boss and premier Campbell Newman, who warned the LNP leader would not be able to form government without the help of a minor party. “Let me say it again,” Nicholls responded. “There will be no deal with One Nation — there will be no coalition and no shared ministry.”

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is expected to be key in determining the final result of the poll but the federal Senator is currently in India as part of a parliamentary delegation, and will now miss the first week of the campaign. Via Twitter, Hanson dubbed the Premier “cowardly”.

The election will mark the return of compulsory preferential voting to Queensland. An August Galaxy poll for The Courier-Mail put Labor’s primary vote at 35%, the LNP’s at 36%, and One Nation’s at 15%. According to the Brisbane Times, the LNP has fundraised about twice as much as Labor. 

CITIZENSHIP SAGA IN UNCHARTED WATERS

Attorney-General George Brandis has predicted there will be “no legal consequences” after the High Court removed two ministers from the government, forcing Barnaby Joyce to face a byelection, and likely ending the parliamentary career of Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash.

Labor has now released legal advice contradicting Brandis’ presumption, with Matt Albert QC and Matt Collins QC advising the country is in uncharted constitutional waters but that a requirement for ministers to be members of parliaments leaves up to 118 decisions by Joyce and Nash open to challenge.

Joyce has gone on-the-record with The Australian, telling the paper he considered quitting politics while the Court considered his fate, and addressing his Liberal colleagues in defence of the Nationals.

“The only reason you are in government is because the National Party held all their seats and won one (more),” Joyce said. “Otherwise, you would not have to have this discussion because you would be in what you call the opposition.”

Joyce also suggested he would back an omnibus referendum that would tidy up section 44, deal with Indigenous recognition, and possibly also test support for a republic.

CATALANS HEAD TO THE STREETS

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Barcelona to show their opposition to Catalan independence. The rally was used by left- and right-leaning parties who oppose independence to launch their election campaigns, after Spain’s central government dissolved the regional parliament, which voted to secede from the country last week.

Regional elections will now be held in late December with the Spanish government taking the reins until then.

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WHAT’S ON TODAY

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull due to arrive in Israel to attend Centenary of the Battle of Beersheba celebrations.

Sydney: Judge in Chris Gayle v Fairfax defamation trial expected to give instructions to jury.

Melbourne: ANZ, NAB, and Westpac return to court for rate-rigging trial. ANZ and NAB have struck in-principle agreements with ASIC.

THE COMMENTARIAT

Queensland election: Hanson’s pick if ALP comes up short — Campbell Newman (The Australian $): “It’s going to be a confused and unsettling picture that can only lead to a narrow ALP victory or a hung parliament with Hanson’s people deciding who will form government.”

Why the witch hunt into Chris Masters’ new book about the Special Forces? — Nick McKenzie (Sydney Morning Herald): “The attacks on the book are directed at its retelling of a mission involving a six-man patrol and the subsequent debate between some of the patrol members about the killing of an Afghan teen suspected to be working for the Taliban. Anyone who actually bothered to read Masters’ careful account of this incident would view it as an exercise in journalistic restraint.”

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF FRIDAY

Joyce out: High Court delivers body blow to Turnbull — Bernard Keane: “The retention of Matt Canavan is a small win for the government but for now the impression that the Turnbull government is notable only for its chaos and instability has been massively reinforced — through no fault of Turnbull or the Liberal Party. This one’s all on the Nationals.”

Seven News wins a Wankley for flu-vaccine death scare — Emily Watkins: “In a story of a young woman’s untimely death from the flu, Seven has managed to provide material for anti-vaccination crusaders. “

End of Indigenous recognition process a huge win for the racist right — Bernard Keane: “In his response yesterday, Turnbull accused Indigenous leaders of adopting a “take it or leave it” approach. In fact, it is white Australia that has said that: Indigenous people can have a symbolic change and some nice words in a white Australian document, or they can have nothing.”

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