PRIME POSITION
For the first time in more than two years, Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has tied with Prime Minister Scott Morrison as preferred PM (42% each), according to the latest Newspoll. The last time the PM wasn’t in front was February 2020 — post-bushfires, pre-pandemic, as The Australian ($) reports. Newspoll spoke to 1520 voters.
It comes after a tumultuous week for the PM as he visited flood-ravaged northern NSW and southeast Queensland, with many airing their anger about not getting five minutes with the PM, and their heartbreak about the slow government response, as ABC reports. Former Fire and Rescue NSW chief commissioner Greg Mullins wrote to Morrison that it was like Black Summer all over again, continuing his group, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action, met with the government in October to warn about massive flooding risks in the summer. If the government had implemented the findings of the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements, Mullins continued, victims would’ve been better prepared. A TV flood appeal saw some $25 million raised for the victims at the weekend, The New Daily reports, while $36 million has been allocated by the federal government.
The SMH reports this morning that the NSW government made three formal requests for Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops for Lismore — but it wasn’t until five days later the state government heard there were 2000 troops available. The state government’s Resilience NSW commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons only heard about the troop numbers from a journalist, who had obtained Emergency Services Minister Bridget McKenzie’s media statement.
[free_worm]
SOME CHOICE WORDS
It’s the final week of the South Australian election campaign folks — voters will head to the polls this Saturday, though pre-polling has already begun. ABC reports the Australian Christian Lobby has launched a campaign naming MPs who voted on abortion legislation. It comes as the Family First Party has appeared on the ticket once again, with former Labor frontbenchers Jack Snelling and Tom Kenyon throwing their hat in the ring. It could be reactionary, as SA’s Premier Steven Marshall has been described as a moderate Liberal, with euthanasia and abortion reforms during his tenure. Marshall seems to detect the tide change, telling The Advertiser ($) last week he would, for the first time, include conservative Liberals in his future ministry. The rising cost of living is dominating discussion at the moment — Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas wants to double an annual payment for concession card holders, while Liberal Premier Steven Marshall has promised to make real-time fuel pricing permanent, saving families $30 at the bowser, The Advertiser ($) continues.
Further east Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has spoken about his sick-leave trial for insecure workers to Guardian Australia. It’ll be state-government funded at first but if it was ongoing, an industry levy would pick up the bill. Former AG Christian Porter called it “a business and employment-killing approach”, but Andrews says the lack of sick leave saw Victorians with COVID symptoms continue to work. Victorians head to the polls in November.
WAVE GOODBYE
Thirteen men were quietly released from detention in Brisbane and Melbourne on Friday at 9pm, but they aren’t sure why. The Age spoke to Somali refugee Ismail Hussein, 30, who had been detained for nine years, most recently in Carlton, Melbourne, who was given 15 minutes notice (!) that he was going. But an asylum resource centre called the 9pm release cruel, saying these refugees need help to transition out, not just be “dumped” late at night. The paper points out COVID-19 border reopenings could be the reason for release — Hussein can stay here for six months and work while he applies to migrate somewhere else.
Speaking of COVID, the AFR reports that our next wave will peak during the election, according to modelling. The new highly contagious BA.2 variant should reach a high point in mid-April, though it should be smaller than Omicron’s peak. So when is the election? The truth is we still don’t know — it can be called as soon as May 7 (33 days after our March 29 budget) but some say it’ll be either called on the 14th or the 21st. So what would an election season outbreak look like? The AEC are planning contingencies for large-scale postal voting, Guardian Australia reports, in an effort to avoid a Trumpian “stop the steal” saga.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
It can be a tough world out there for renters, particularly in this happy-go-lucky house flipping era that can see corners neatly cut to turn a profit. So one renter in Melbourne decided to give prospective tenants fair warning of what to expect. Post-it notes were tacked throughout the rental property on inspection day, with helpful hints including “range hood doesn’t work, but window over sink fills house with bugs” and “This [the window] is the only way to ventilate the laundry, but there’s no flywire”. The place was $600 a week, which was described by the prospective tenant who found the notes as “a joke”, but they continued it was the most fun they’d had at an inspection, and commended the current tenant as a “legend”.
And it’s not just tenants who are taking a stand. Some weeks back comedian Tom Cashman had been approved for a rental property he wasn’t super keen on — so he decided, what the hell — I’m going to ask for a landlord reference. He had already provided three of his own references, and landlords who drag the chain on repairs, for instance, can be a headache. His approval was withdrawn, but hundreds of comments of support poured in for Cashman for sticking it to the Man.
Wishing you a little rebellion this Monday, folks.
SAY WHAT?
You look at even the photo ops this time, whether it’s the shampooing hair or … dare I say it, the ukulele-playing … the welding without lifting up the mask before you weld … and then now it can’t be unseen, unfortunately.
Anthony Albanese
Like the rest of us, the Labor Leader was a little disturbed to watch Prime Minister Scott Morrison wash some woman’s hair and strum a ukulele in an effort to seem like an everyman — though crucially the PM couldn’t name the price of bread and milk.
CRIKEY RECAP
More than 300 Ukrainians have arrived in Australia — but only on tourist visas. What does the future hold for them?
“Australia has welcomed Ukrainians fleeing the war with bipartisan support, with the government agreeing to fast-track student, skilled worker and tourist visas for Ukrainians. So far 3000 visas have been approved, with at least 300 Ukrainians arriving onshore.
“But most Ukrainians are arriving on visitor visas, forking out more than $1000 each for last-minute flights from central Europe. While Ukrainians fleeing to European Union countries are afforded rights and protections for at least a year, in Australia no onshore humanitarian packages or temporary protection visas have been announced.”
Putin’s folly: the Russian president has lost the war — he just doesn’t know it yet
“On January 21, 1990, 450,000 Ukrainians joined hands to form a human chain. The unbroken line ran 700 kilometres from Kyiv to Lviv. It marked the 71st anniversary of Act Zluky, the Unification Act, that gave birth to a briefly sovereign Ukraine.
“The protesters demanded independence from the Soviet Union. The following year, after a referendum backed by 92% of Ukrainians, they regained their freedom. Vladimir Putin wants to take it away. Having spent 20 years subverting Ukrainian independence, he has gone for broke. He will fail.”
Pentecostal-linked Esther Foundation sorry for abuse as former residents urge stronger action
“The Esther Foundation, a Pentecostal-linked organisation given millions of dollars in Morrison government grants before the 2019 election, has apologised for the abuse of women and girls who attended its rehab program and has promised to cooperate with any police investigation into possible criminal conduct.
“The foundation’s public apology comes after a weeks-long Crikey investigation which has revealed widespread allegations of religious-based abuse, with girls as young as 14 being subjected to exorcisms and hours-long prayer meetings to drive out ‘demons’ as treatment for addiction and mental health issues.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Iranian Guards claim ballistic missile attacks in Erbil (Al Jazeera)
War in Ukraine: Russian forces accused of abducting second mayor (BBC)
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: List of key events from day 18 (Al Jazeera)
‘Stop this massacre’: pope condemns invasion of Ukraine (The Guardian)
Saudi Arabia just executed 81 men in a single day (SBS)
New daily death toll [of eight] recorded as Auckland cases drop (NZ Herald)
Russia-Ukraine war threatens wheat supply, jolts prices (The Wall Street Journal) ($)
Brent Renaud, an American journalist, is killed in Ukraine. (The New York Times)
China imposes new curbs amid worst COVID outbreak in two years (Al Jazeera)
France to lift most COVID controls as Macron rides high in polls (The Guardian)
Bafta Awards 2022: Stars gather for return to in-person ceremony (BBC)
THE COMMENTARIAT
How much longer can the law justify the killing of Aboriginal people? — Teela Reid (The Age): “Surely, there are more appropriate and humane ways to respond and disarm a person. And the Northern Territory police have proven an alternative approach is possible when the person posing the threat is a white man. In June 2019, the same year Kumanjayi’s life was cut short inside a family member’s home, Benjamin Hoffman, a white man who terrorised the streets of Darwin in a one-hour killing spree that resulted in the death of four people, was spared his life. Why is the response different when it comes to Aboriginal men like Kumanjayi?
“If there is any jurisdiction in Australia that exposes the urgent need for a powerful First Nations Voice enshrined in the constitution to guarantee the voices of the Walpiri are honoured, and proper independent oversight of the implementation of countless recommendations that have been ignored by governments, it is the Northern Territory.”
In rebuilding, we must also prepare for a better future — Anthony Albanese (The Australian) ($): “Governments around the world have been taking this commonsense approach. However, the prime minister said last week: ‘I’ve never really been in the build-back-better camp’. Scott Morrison adheres to a rigid ideological view that if governments will just get out of the way, market forces can meet all challenges. This ideology is unsuited to our times. It is certainly true that governments cannot and should not try to do everything.
“But government can make it easier for business and communities to respond to crisis. They can provide the leadership the community is looking for. Now is the time to address the weaknesses exposed by the pandemic and, in the process, make our nation stronger and more prosperous. If we applied Morrison’s approach to the post-flooding rebuild, we would rebuild our communities exactly the way they were prior to the calamity. And we would never spend a dollar in flood mitigation schemes and infrastructure upgrades that can reduce potential effects of future floods. That would be foolish.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Online
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Macquarie University’s Leanne Holt, Universities Australia CEO Catriona Jackson, and Nous Group’s Rodney Williams will speak about university and further education for Indigenous people, at an event hosted by CEDA.
Kulin Nation Country (also known as Melbourne)
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Moomba Festival continues, with events and attractions held across the city including a parade, performances, carnival rides, and the Birdman Rally.
Eora Nation Country (also known as Sydney)
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Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs’ Alan J Kuperman and the Lowy Institute’s Hervé Lemahieu will discuss AUKUS and nuclear non-proliferation at the institute.
Yuggera Country (also known as Brisbane)
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Journalist Jane Caro will discuss her novel The Mother at Avid Reader bookshop. You can also catch this one online.
Albanese (of Morrison The Oz) – market forces may be all well and good if you can afford to be “in the market” – unfortunately, more of us are being forced out of it, not least by policies of this Schemo Morrison Limited News Party government.
In fact it’s the loading of those “market forces” against the more vulnerable, and less well-off, that is forcing more of us out of “the market” – benefitting the better off, as competition (from fewer and fewer possible participants) is emasculated and strangled.
To extrapolate on Grant’s (Insiders) “theory” (that ‘inflation and higher interest rates are a tax’) :- “stagnant wages” is virtually a tax, a handicap limiting discretionary spending.