POLLS POLARISING
The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald have “pressed pause” on polling, and will not have a contract with Ipsos or any other polling company going forward, national editor Tory Maguire writes. The move follows anger and confusion at misleading election predictions.
The SMH/Age’s Ipsos poll consistently predicted a Labor win, with their final poll showing 51-49 in favour. Maguire says that there were already plans in place to reassess polling arrangements after the election, adding that “very few would argue the country has been well-served by the political class’ obsession with the fortnightly Newspolls”.
On last night’s 7.30, long-time Labor Party pollster John Utting said that “we would probably still have Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister” if it weren’t for the polls.
LEADERSHIP PARTY
Anthony “conflict fatigue” Albanese looks set to clinch the Labor Party leadership, after remaining rival Jim Chalmers declared yesterday that he wouldn’t run (“this time around”). A four-day nomination window has now opened, and if no one else nominates, Albanese will be leader by Monday, the ABC reports. Chalmers, Richard Marles, and Clare O’Neil are all weighing up bids for deputy, with O’Neil being encouraged to run to ensure there is still a woman in the leadership team.
Meanwhile, Michael McCormack and Bridget McKenzie have been re-elected unopposed as leader and deputy leader of the Nationals. There are “zero prospects” for Barnaby Joyce ($) in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, The Australian reports.
WATER CRISIS
Several NSW towns, including Dubbo, Nyngan, Cobar, Walgett and Tamworth, are facing a potential “water emergency”, The Guardian reports, with water supplies expected to run out within months. Dams are running close to dry, while no ground water can be accessed by bores in some central and western areas.
The Berejiklian government will review Sydney’s planned water restrictions on Monday, The Sydney Morning Herald reports, and is expected to toughen the restrictions presently detailed in its Metropolitan Water Plan.
[free_worm]
THEY REALLY SAID THAT?
How good is the public service?
Michael McCormack
The deputy prime minister riffed on the PM’s favourite catchphrase at a meeting with the prime minister and senior public servants.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Tony Burke floats Green New Deal-style approach to Labor’s climate policy
Trump calls his former secretary of state ‘dumb as a rock’ after Putin testimony
CFMEU powerbrokers split over Adani coalmine ($)
Finch trade-off breaks Adani mine stalemate ($)
Islamic State militants involved in Jakarta riots, say Indonesian police
Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable missile
Russell Street bombing accused charged over gang rape cold cases
David Speers moves to the ABC’s Insiders in a blow to Sky News
Controversial US gymnastics coach gets all-clear Down Under
Geoffrey Rush offered to settle for $50,000. Instead he was awarded $2.9m
Actor Geoffrey Rush awarded $2m for lost earnings against Daily Telegraph ($)
Tasmania State Budget 2019: Billion-dollar debt bill and public sector cuts to fund infrastructure ($)
CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY
Politicians’ websites show major security blind spots
“Australian politicians might campaign on strong borders and security, but many of them are running websites that are at risk of being compromised. A local study of hundreds of state MPs’ websites revealed several security blind spots which could result in leaks of users’ data and unencrypted messages being read.”
Did Palmer steal the election? Not so fast.
“It’s hard to find a seat where UAP preferences got LNP candidates over the line. Labor was thumped in Herbert (which had been conceded by Labor insiders even before the election) with Palmer’s high-profile candidate managing less than 6%. The surprise performer there was the Katter candidate, who managed 10%, a swing of more than 3%. The LNP itself rose 1.4% on primaries. In Petrie, which Labor hoped to pick up, the LNP also got a substantial swing to it. In Longman, another seat Labor lost, it was One Nation that scored the big swing, reaching 13%, while UAP managed just 3.1%.”
Five places Tony Abbott might end up after his defeat
“Imagine, in some distant future, a boiling nation desperately seeking refuge rushes through emergency environmental legislation as the walls melt around them. But wait, what’s that sound? Is it the ringing of the division bells? No, it’s our Tone playing a large organ from the press gallery. In a ghostly wail he warns them to turn back now, before it’s too late. Then with a flourish of his cape he disappears.”
THE COMMENTARIAT
Why did so many working class suburbs back the Liberals? – David Crowe (The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age): “Shorten fought the election on fairness and failed. He won over the crowd who turned up to the local hall but could not win the wider community. Voters spurned what he offered. His idea of fairness fell flat. The “fairness” claim is also deeply contested. When I used the word in a report on the election result on Monday, readers disputed whether Shorten’s tax changes were really “fair” at all.”
Let’s see if feisty Albo’s made of right Hawke stuff ($) – Michael Danby (The Australian): “Labor’s problem with the wider electorate is that Albo is the longstanding grandee of the Labor Left. If the election shows us anything, Labor must govern from the centre to win the hearts and minds of Australians. We mustn’t trash people’s aspirations or threaten the income of seniors locked into a concession that has been part of their modest income. Albanese, who it seems will inevitably become leader, should dump this policy. The negative gearing policy also should be dropped, especially given the weakness in the housing market. But the really hard issue for Labor’s future is whether Albanese, as a left-wing leader, can balance a constituency led on one side by passionate anti-Adani environmentalists, an inner-city crowd of GetUp, doctors’ wives, Greens and the Labor Left, with the aspirations of workers and the unemployed on the other.”
The Left are now doing the Coalition’s hard work for them – David Penberthy (The Daily Telegraph): “In asserting that the voters are somehow stupid, these people are themselves too dim to realise that the elitist nature of their language is so powerful that it will do enduring damage to the cause of the Left in Australia. In the US, Clinton’s “deplorables” sledge has done so much residual political harm that it will still resonate with the white working class at next year’s election, which on current trends Donald Trump will win. In the same way here, where every time someone unloads on the voters for getting it wrong, or denounces Scott Morrison as illegitimate, they are doing the best political work possible — for the conservative cause.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Melbourne
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The National Gallery of Victoria will launch its exhibition of China’s ancient Terracotta Warriors, alongside a display of new works by contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang.
Sydney
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TEDxSydney 2019 celebrates its 10th anniversary, in a day of talks, performances, films, connection, conversation and debate.
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The Lidcombe Coroners Court will hold a NSW inquest into the deaths of two teenage equestrians who died in separate incidents involving rotational falls during riding events.
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Sydney’s annual Vivid Festival will begin, running until Saturday June 15.
Brisbane
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The Legal Aid Women’s Network will host a private screening of the film “Gaslight”, the 1944 mystery-thriller film about a woman whose husband slowly manipulates her into questioning her reality, to raise awareness of psychological abuse for Domestic Violence Prevention Month.
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The Australia China Business Council of Queensland will host an “Australia-China Food & Agribusiness Forum”, bringing together senior government representatives, business leaders, exporters, and advisers.
Adelaide
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The University of Adelaide will host a free National Reconciliation Week BBQ, including live music by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music. National Reconciliation Week begins on Monday.
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