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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/aug/18/tony-abbott-under-pressure-on-leadership-dyson-heydon-canning-politics-live
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| Tony Abbott under pressure on leadership, Dyson Heydon, Canning – politics live | Tony Abbott under pressure on leadership, Dyson Heydon, Canning – politics live |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| 9.11am AEST00:11 | |
| Brough in the rough. | |
| 8.56am AEST23:56 | |
| Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. | |
| Nick Xenophon has a habit of stealing Mike Bowers’ cameras and taking random photos. He is the troublemaker on the senate doors. | |
| 8.50am AEST23:50 | |
| This being Tuesday, we have party room meetings, which means parliament does not sit until midday. | |
| I did hear the prime minister had a meeting with a wallaby but my invite must have got lost in the mail. | |
| We might see some pictures shortly. | |
| 8.44am AEST23:44 | 8.44am AEST23:44 |
| Before I go further, take a look at analysis by Lenore Taylor, which points out the inherent contradictions in the defence of Dyson Heydon. | Before I go further, take a look at analysis by Lenore Taylor, which points out the inherent contradictions in the defence of Dyson Heydon. |
| The government’s defence of Dyson Heydon hinges on the argument that the law lecture the royal commissioner agreed to give was not a fundraiser because it wasn’t going to raise very much money – even though the invitation did solicit donations for the New South Wales Liberals’ election campaign and provide details of the relevant commonwealth electoral disclosure laws. | The government’s defence of Dyson Heydon hinges on the argument that the law lecture the royal commissioner agreed to give was not a fundraiser because it wasn’t going to raise very much money – even though the invitation did solicit donations for the New South Wales Liberals’ election campaign and provide details of the relevant commonwealth electoral disclosure laws. |
| Apparently not-very-successful fundraisers don’t count as fundraisers. | Apparently not-very-successful fundraisers don’t count as fundraisers. |
| Heydon’s own explanation hinges on his insistence he never knew it was a fundraiser, “overlooked” the fact that it was a Liberal party event and didn’t read the invitation that clearly showed it was both. | Heydon’s own explanation hinges on his insistence he never knew it was a fundraiser, “overlooked” the fact that it was a Liberal party event and didn’t read the invitation that clearly showed it was both. |
| The eminent jurist apparently expects more leeway in terms of not reading things and not remembering things than he would be likely to afford one of his witnesses. | The eminent jurist apparently expects more leeway in terms of not reading things and not remembering things than he would be likely to afford one of his witnesses. |
| Neither of these somewhat contradictory explanations overcomes the fact that Heydon did agree to give a lecture to a Liberal party event after his appointment as royal commissioner and that this raises the perception of bias. | Neither of these somewhat contradictory explanations overcomes the fact that Heydon did agree to give a lecture to a Liberal party event after his appointment as royal commissioner and that this raises the perception of bias. |
| 8.35am AEST23:35 | 8.35am AEST23:35 |
| Good morning: how do you feel, have you shifted? | Good morning: how do you feel, have you shifted? |
| Good morning blogans one and all, | Good morning blogans one and all, |
| Mike Bowers have been haunting the grounds of parliament this morning and came across the hardworking maintenance staff offering a little advice for members. | Mike Bowers have been haunting the grounds of parliament this morning and came across the hardworking maintenance staff offering a little advice for members. |
| There are slippery surfaces all around this place at the moment, especially for one prime minister. He apparently survived cabinet last night without any blow ups over the marriage equality bill. Thus far. | There are slippery surfaces all around this place at the moment, especially for one prime minister. He apparently survived cabinet last night without any blow ups over the marriage equality bill. Thus far. |
| But then, Tony Abbott went to bed considering a Newspoll released late in the evening in The Australian which showed the Canning by-election would be a close run thing. The swing looks like 10% in the electorate of the late Don Randall, who worked up a margin of nearly 12%. | But then, Tony Abbott went to bed considering a Newspoll released late in the evening in The Australian which showed the Canning by-election would be a close run thing. The swing looks like 10% in the electorate of the late Don Randall, who worked up a margin of nearly 12%. |
| The poll also looked at marriage equality via a referendum/plebiscite versus a vote in the parliament. The Australian writes: | The poll also looked at marriage equality via a referendum/plebiscite versus a vote in the parliament. The Australian writes: |
| The poll found the issue of same-sex marriage could provide a surprise boost for Mr Abbott, with 78 per cent of Canning voters, including 79 per cent of Liberal supporters and 72 per cent of Labor supporters, believing the issue should be decided by his idea of a “people’s vote” via a referendum or plebiscite. | The poll found the issue of same-sex marriage could provide a surprise boost for Mr Abbott, with 78 per cent of Canning voters, including 79 per cent of Liberal supporters and 72 per cent of Labor supporters, believing the issue should be decided by his idea of a “people’s vote” via a referendum or plebiscite. |
| Only 20 per cent preferred a vote by politicians in parliament as advocated by Bill Shorten, including 18 per cent of Liberal supporters and 26 per cent of Labor supporters. | Only 20 per cent preferred a vote by politicians in parliament as advocated by Bill Shorten, including 18 per cent of Liberal supporters and 26 per cent of Labor supporters. |
| It did not appear to poll on the basic question of support for marriage equality. | It did not appear to poll on the basic question of support for marriage equality. |
| Of course, the danger of by-elections is that voters feel at liberty to kick the incumbents, knowing the outcome won’t change the government. But will it change the leader? | Of course, the danger of by-elections is that voters feel at liberty to kick the incumbents, knowing the outcome won’t change the government. But will it change the leader? |
| Having gone to bed with the Newspoll, the Coalition woke with leadership grumblings. Phil Coorey in the Fin reports that unnamed supporters of Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull have been indulging in general, kick-the-dirt type conversations at the present difficulties. | Having gone to bed with the Newspoll, the Coalition woke with leadership grumblings. Phil Coorey in the Fin reports that unnamed supporters of Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull have been indulging in general, kick-the-dirt type conversations at the present difficulties. |
| Sources have told The Australian Financial Review that “footsoldiers” for both Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, who are on opposite sides of the same-sex marriage debate, have been taking informal soundings in recent days, targeting colleagues who voted for Mr Abbott in the February leadership spill. | Sources have told The Australian Financial Review that “footsoldiers” for both Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, who are on opposite sides of the same-sex marriage debate, have been taking informal soundings in recent days, targeting colleagues who voted for Mr Abbott in the February leadership spill. |
| “They’re seeing if there’s shift in the mood since the last spill,” one MP said. | “They’re seeing if there’s shift in the mood since the last spill,” one MP said. |
| “It’s like ‘it’s not good at the moment, how do you feel, have you shifted?’.” | “It’s like ‘it’s not good at the moment, how do you feel, have you shifted?’.” |
| We all know how Dyson Heydon must feel, given the royal commissioner is awaiting a decision from the ACTU as to whether they will urge his disqualification. The funny thing about this is that Dyson Heydon will consider whether Dyson Heydon should step aside. | We all know how Dyson Heydon must feel, given the royal commissioner is awaiting a decision from the ACTU as to whether they will urge his disqualification. The funny thing about this is that Dyson Heydon will consider whether Dyson Heydon should step aside. |
| Dave Oliver, the head of the ACTU, refused to say whether the union would argue for Heydon’s disqualification because he has to speak to affiliates. I suspect he is hoping the government will do the job. | Dave Oliver, the head of the ACTU, refused to say whether the union would argue for Heydon’s disqualification because he has to speak to affiliates. I suspect he is hoping the government will do the job. |
| He says the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and the Fair Work (registered organisations) bill (which have both been voted down in the Senate in the past 24 hours) were part of the wider campaign. That campaign included the royal commission, and was designed to nail the union movement. Self-evidently. | He says the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and the Fair Work (registered organisations) bill (which have both been voted down in the Senate in the past 24 hours) were part of the wider campaign. That campaign included the royal commission, and was designed to nail the union movement. Self-evidently. |
| He says the “unfounded [Turc] allegations being made by some members of parliament” were used to push these bills.” (Though there have been arrests as a result of the commission.) | He says the “unfounded [Turc] allegations being made by some members of parliament” were used to push these bills.” (Though there have been arrests as a result of the commission.) |
| Oliver told the ABC the whole campaign was part of a push to blunt the union movement ahead of the next election. He said it comes back to 2007, when the Work Choices campaign “tipped out a government”. | Oliver told the ABC the whole campaign was part of a push to blunt the union movement ahead of the next election. He said it comes back to 2007, when the Work Choices campaign “tipped out a government”. |
| They will do what they can to make sure our movement can’t do that again...This government is trying to diminish the capacity of workers to organise to fight for their rights at work. | They will do what they can to make sure our movement can’t do that again...This government is trying to diminish the capacity of workers to organise to fight for their rights at work. |
| The other thing to note is the registered organisations bill could be used as a double dissolution trigger, as it has been voted down before. I will come back to that point. | The other thing to note is the registered organisations bill could be used as a double dissolution trigger, as it has been voted down before. I will come back to that point. |
| Before this turns into War and Peace, I best get on with it. That @mpbowers will have more of his cracking photos and speak to us on the Twits @gabriellechan or below in the thread. | Before this turns into War and Peace, I best get on with it. That @mpbowers will have more of his cracking photos and speak to us on the Twits @gabriellechan or below in the thread. |
| Updated at 8.42am AEST | Updated at 8.42am AEST |