Deja vu
Dennis Shanahan is up to his old tricks, spinning every Newspoll against Labor. In an article entitled Beazley bombs with the voters, we learn that Labor’s primary vote is holding up while the Coalition’s has fallen:
According to the latest Newspoll survey, conducted exclusively for The Australian on the weekend, the Coalition’s primary vote fell three points from 47 per cent, a post-election high, to 44 per cent.
Labor’s primary vote remained unchanged on 37per cent. Based on preferences at the last election, the two-party-preferred vote for the Coalition fell from 53 to 51 per cent and Labor’s rose from 47 to 49per cent.
I’m not going to pretend that Beazley has performed well in the last couple of months, but if he’s “bombed” it hasn’t affected people’s voting intentions. If he gets his act together, Labor should be able to strike out in front while the Coalition tries to sell its most contentious policies (including Senate reform) in the next few months.
Perhaps his “strong position” on tax paid off?
Seriously, Beazers needs to shape up and start making strong statements on IR, refugees, social justice and welfare. It doesn’t matter what he says, just that it is uniquely Labor, and that it moves towards identifying Labor as the party of values.
Robert, it wouldn’t matter what strategy Labor adopted, this slimy grub Shanahan will always paint Labor in a bad light. Refreshingly, Labor has not lost ground over its tax cuts decision, and believe Labor should continue to speak out more strongly on the things that distinguish us from the neocons. I believe Beazley with this strategy will ultimately prevail. Deep down there is a an unhappy sullenness with this bunch of fuckwits, and with a consistent positive strategy and message, I believe, will ultimately bring home the bacon. It will be a big effort, I know, but this Government is fast losing any goodwill it had, with backdowns and decisions on the run on a daily basis.
Thank you Robert for the selfless work of reading Shanahan and Co. for the rest of us so we don’t have to go through the experience.
As Greg would say even if Federal Labor got a Clair Martin’s type result he would find something negative to say about it.
I would place his diatribe in the same category as Howard re-stores democracy in the Liberal Party type articles after he had to back-down on the Georgiou bills.
By announcing the most minimal of concessions which amount to nothing but painting white the walls of a crumbling, derelict, asbestos-ridden building, Howard has been able to put into the minds of the public a democratic and open Liberal Party while putting immigration out of the relevance of the ALP.
Sleazeby has got himself in another knot over the immigration issue. He and his shadow immigration minister can’t even agree on whether Peter Qasim who has been in detention for seven years and pretty much lost his mind, should be released. Sleazeby also has no plan to reshuffle the ministers where much of the talent is locked away in the back bench. Sums up the state of the federal ALP right now. They have no chance of getting elected until the morning where you see the sun rise over the waters Cottesloe Beach.
Dennis Shanahan can paint anything in a bad light, even if Labor wins an election by a margin of 65 to 35. Pity that’s not going to happen while the universe still exists.
I’m still reeling from finding out the other day that Dennis Shanahan is married to the even more hopeless Angela Shanahan. Someone for everyone.
Senate Reform is going to be a very hard sell. As with introducing 4 year terms, it would be a very damaging path to go down.