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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/mar/14/new-poll-suggests-coalition-is-holding-its-ground-while-turnbull-slides-politics-live
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| New poll suggests Coalition is holding its ground while Turnbull slides – politics live | New poll suggests Coalition is holding its ground while Turnbull slides – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.27am GMT | |
| 00:27 | |
| Now dear readers bear with me, I need to switch locations, meaning I’ll be off the air for about twenty minutes. Just chat among yourselves while I tend to that. See you shortly. | |
| 12.13am GMT | 12.13am GMT |
| 00:13 | 00:13 |
| I suspect it’s worth posting Eric Abetz’s full response to the PricewaterhouseCoopers study of the full costs of the proposed marriage equality plebiscite. I agree with Abetz that it is quite odd to analyse a democratic process in terms of opportunity cost. I don’t recall a study that has done that before. But I feel readers will be interested in this response in full. | I suspect it’s worth posting Eric Abetz’s full response to the PricewaterhouseCoopers study of the full costs of the proposed marriage equality plebiscite. I agree with Abetz that it is quite odd to analyse a democratic process in terms of opportunity cost. I don’t recall a study that has done that before. But I feel readers will be interested in this response in full. |
| Eric Abetz, on the ABC. | Eric Abetz, on the ABC. |
| Look you can ask the question what price of democracy and changing the fundamental institution which has socialised children for the past millennia can’t be reduced to bean counting. And when you know, and if I heard correctly the $281m dollars of that figure or 500 plus is in fact the time taken to vote, it does show and indicate that this was a study in inverted commas with an outcome that was sought by those doing it. | Look you can ask the question what price of democracy and changing the fundamental institution which has socialised children for the past millennia can’t be reduced to bean counting. And when you know, and if I heard correctly the $281m dollars of that figure or 500 plus is in fact the time taken to vote, it does show and indicate that this was a study in inverted commas with an outcome that was sought by those doing it. |
| Because quite frankly to try to take into account and double the figure on the basis of the time taken to vote as being a factor basically sees that, look let’s get rid of democracy each time people go to the polling booth it costs them $281m. But then in a very perceptive question the interviewer was able to get out of PricewaterhouseCoopers that it was not an actual financial costs but just something foregone. | Because quite frankly to try to take into account and double the figure on the basis of the time taken to vote as being a factor basically sees that, look let’s get rid of democracy each time people go to the polling booth it costs them $281m. But then in a very perceptive question the interviewer was able to get out of PricewaterhouseCoopers that it was not an actual financial costs but just something foregone. |
| So instead of sitting at home on election or plebiscite days for an extra 15, 20 minutes, or half an hour you actually go out to vote and you put the financial cost on that is, I must say, quite a bizarre way to undertake such an analysis. And of course it doesn’t take into account the costs on the other side of this debate - people who feel strongly, who will feel depressed about a change if it were to occur as a result of a plebiscite. So I think this is a very skewed study. | So instead of sitting at home on election or plebiscite days for an extra 15, 20 minutes, or half an hour you actually go out to vote and you put the financial cost on that is, I must say, quite a bizarre way to undertake such an analysis. And of course it doesn’t take into account the costs on the other side of this debate - people who feel strongly, who will feel depressed about a change if it were to occur as a result of a plebiscite. So I think this is a very skewed study. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.13am GMT | at 12.13am GMT |
| 12.00am GMT | 12.00am GMT |
| 00:00 | 00:00 |
| It’s always bad for my concentration, mentioning America. I’ve been sharing a lot of top shelf material from the primaries on Facebook but I will here too as time permits. Slate has published a piece from chief political correspondent Jamelle Bouie which is a racial analysis of Donald Trump’s rise. Very much worth your time. Here’s a very small excerpt. | It’s always bad for my concentration, mentioning America. I’ve been sharing a lot of top shelf material from the primaries on Facebook but I will here too as time permits. Slate has published a piece from chief political correspondent Jamelle Bouie which is a racial analysis of Donald Trump’s rise. Very much worth your time. Here’s a very small excerpt. |
| We’ve been missing the most important catalyst in Trump’s rise. What caused this fire to burn out of control? The answer, I think, is Barack Obama. In a nation shaped and defined by a rigid racial hierarchy, his election was very much a radical event, in which a man from one of the nation’s lowest castes ascended to the summit of its political landscape. And he did so with heavy support from minorities: Asian Americans and Latinos were an important part of Obama’s coalition, and black Americans turned out at their highest numbers ever in 2008. | We’ve been missing the most important catalyst in Trump’s rise. What caused this fire to burn out of control? The answer, I think, is Barack Obama. In a nation shaped and defined by a rigid racial hierarchy, his election was very much a radical event, in which a man from one of the nation’s lowest castes ascended to the summit of its political landscape. And he did so with heavy support from minorities: Asian Americans and Latinos were an important part of Obama’s coalition, and black Americans turned out at their highest numbers ever in 2008. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.01am GMT | at 12.01am GMT |
| 11.50pm GMT | 11.50pm GMT |
| 23:50 | 23:50 |
| John Howard has been on television in the United States talking about the benefits to community safety associated with gun control. Howard was interviewed on CBS. Obviously gun control is a hot issue in the American election. | John Howard has been on television in the United States talking about the benefits to community safety associated with gun control. Howard was interviewed on CBS. Obviously gun control is a hot issue in the American election. |
| John Howard: | John Howard: |
| It is incontestable that gun-related homicides have fallen quite significantly in Australia, incontestable. I mean, if you had 13 mass shootings before Port Arthur and you had none since, isn’t that evidence? And you had a 74% fall in the gun-related suicide rates, isn’t that evidence? Or are we expected to believe that that was all magically going to happen? Come on. | It is incontestable that gun-related homicides have fallen quite significantly in Australia, incontestable. I mean, if you had 13 mass shootings before Port Arthur and you had none since, isn’t that evidence? And you had a 74% fall in the gun-related suicide rates, isn’t that evidence? Or are we expected to believe that that was all magically going to happen? Come on. |
| 11.25pm GMT | 11.25pm GMT |
| 23:25 | 23:25 |
| Bishop is also unimpressed with Ricky Muir’s plans to try and bring on the ABCC bill for a vote this week. | Bishop is also unimpressed with Ricky Muir’s plans to try and bring on the ABCC bill for a vote this week. |
| The only reason we are having this discussion is because the cross benchers and Labor are refusing to support legislation that would prevent corrupt unions and corrupt union officials from carrying out their unlawful activities, as identified by the royal commission. | The only reason we are having this discussion is because the cross benchers and Labor are refusing to support legislation that would prevent corrupt unions and corrupt union officials from carrying out their unlawful activities, as identified by the royal commission. |
| (This response of course doesn’t explain the government’s failure to bring on the issue during this parliamentary week. If you want the bill voted down, then it does seem sensible to bring it on.) | (This response of course doesn’t explain the government’s failure to bring on the issue during this parliamentary week. If you want the bill voted down, then it does seem sensible to bring it on.) |
| 11.22pm GMT | 11.22pm GMT |
| 23:22 | 23:22 |
| Q: One of your predecessors, Stephen Smith, is being touted as the leader of the Labor party in your home state. Any comment? | Q: One of your predecessors, Stephen Smith, is being touted as the leader of the Labor party in your home state. Any comment? |
| Julie Bishop: | Julie Bishop: |
| I think people will remember that Stephen Smith was a Cabinet minister in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government that brought the carbon and mining taxes to WA, trashed the budget, ran up record deficits and trashed the live export industry – so Stephen Smith will have a lot of explaining to do if he runs for high office. | I think people will remember that Stephen Smith was a Cabinet minister in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government that brought the carbon and mining taxes to WA, trashed the budget, ran up record deficits and trashed the live export industry – so Stephen Smith will have a lot of explaining to do if he runs for high office. |
| 11.19pm GMT | 11.19pm GMT |
| 23:19 | 23:19 |
| Bishop is asked about the Australian ambassador in Turkey who was very close to the blast in Ankara that killed 34 people. | Bishop is asked about the Australian ambassador in Turkey who was very close to the blast in Ankara that killed 34 people. |
| Julie Bishop: | Julie Bishop: |
| Our ambassador was actually at that intersection in his vehicle about 20 metres away from the blast. He is fine. All of the Australian staff and our locally engaged embassy staff are fine. In fact, I understand that no foreigners were either killed or injured in the attack, although the investigations are still under way. | Our ambassador was actually at that intersection in his vehicle about 20 metres away from the blast. He is fine. All of the Australian staff and our locally engaged embassy staff are fine. In fact, I understand that no foreigners were either killed or injured in the attack, although the investigations are still under way. |
| Q: Does this raise questions about the security of Australian diplomatic personnel in areas that either have had attacks or are under threat? | Q: Does this raise questions about the security of Australian diplomatic personnel in areas that either have had attacks or are under threat? |
| We are constantly reviewing the security arrangements for our diplomats overseas. | We are constantly reviewing the security arrangements for our diplomats overseas. |
| Q: Will there be a specific investigation into this particular diplomat and this diplomatic post? | Q: Will there be a specific investigation into this particular diplomat and this diplomatic post? |
| There is always an ongoing review whenever there is an incident like this, there is always a review. | There is always an ongoing review whenever there is an incident like this, there is always a review. |
| Q: Do you think he was targeted or just unfortunate to be in the area? | Q: Do you think he was targeted or just unfortunate to be in the area? |
| He was just there at the time. No, I don’t believe at all he was targeted. This was actually directed, as I understand, at Turkish soldiers. | He was just there at the time. No, I don’t believe at all he was targeted. This was actually directed, as I understand, at Turkish soldiers. |
| Q: Will we consider pulling diplomatic staff out given the worsening security situation in Turkey? | Q: Will we consider pulling diplomatic staff out given the worsening security situation in Turkey? |
| No, we would not. | No, we would not. |
| 11.11pm GMT | 11.11pm GMT |
| 23:11 | 23:11 |
| Bishop is asked about whether a meeting scheduled tomorrow with the foreign minister of Iran will produce a repatriation deal on asylum seekers. Doesn’t sound like it. | Bishop is asked about whether a meeting scheduled tomorrow with the foreign minister of Iran will produce a repatriation deal on asylum seekers. Doesn’t sound like it. |
| Julie Bishop: | Julie Bishop: |
| These discussions are at a very early stage among officials. It’s certainly a goal at officials level at present. | These discussions are at a very early stage among officials. It’s certainly a goal at officials level at present. |
| 11.08pm GMT | 11.08pm GMT |
| 23:08 | 23:08 |
| Bishop is asked whether or not Australia is concerned that an ABC TV crew has been detained in Malaysia after investigating corruption. The foreign minister is concerned. She says this incident has been raised with the Malaysian government. | Bishop is asked whether or not Australia is concerned that an ABC TV crew has been detained in Malaysia after investigating corruption. The foreign minister is concerned. She says this incident has been raised with the Malaysian government. |
| Julie Bishop: | Julie Bishop: |
| We are deeply concerned about this. We are providing consular support for the ABC crew. | We are deeply concerned about this. We are providing consular support for the ABC crew. |
| I haven’t got to this issue yet this morning. Thanks to the ABC for this report. | I haven’t got to this issue yet this morning. Thanks to the ABC for this report. |
| An ABC Four Corners crew has been detained by Malaysian police after trying to question Prime Minister Najib Razak over a corruption scandal. Reporter Linton Besser and camera operator Louie Eroglu were arrested in the city of Kuching on Saturday night, after approaching Mr Razak on the street. Both were released without charge on Sunday, but have been told not to leave the country. | An ABC Four Corners crew has been detained by Malaysian police after trying to question Prime Minister Najib Razak over a corruption scandal. Reporter Linton Besser and camera operator Louie Eroglu were arrested in the city of Kuching on Saturday night, after approaching Mr Razak on the street. Both were released without charge on Sunday, but have been told not to leave the country. |
| 11.03pm GMT | 11.03pm GMT |
| 23:03 | 23:03 |
| The foreign minister Julie Bishop is in Fiji to inspect the relief effort after the big cyclone. She’s already done several interviews this morning, and she’s having a media conference now. | The foreign minister Julie Bishop is in Fiji to inspect the relief effort after the big cyclone. She’s already done several interviews this morning, and she’s having a media conference now. |
| Q: How much additional money will Australia provide? | Q: How much additional money will Australia provide? |
| Julie Bishop: | Julie Bishop: |
| It’s a question of what Fiji is looking for. | It’s a question of what Fiji is looking for. |
| 10.59pm GMT | 10.59pm GMT |
| 22:59 | 22:59 |
| While the treasurer is driving up the road past Gundaroo, the special minister of state Mathias Cormann is making himself available on the internet on Senate voting reform. | While the treasurer is driving up the road past Gundaroo, the special minister of state Mathias Cormann is making himself available on the internet on Senate voting reform. |
| That is absolutely your democratic right as an Australian citizen. Thank you for exercising it. https://t.co/W4KZNkKVHh | That is absolutely your democratic right as an Australian citizen. Thank you for exercising it. https://t.co/W4KZNkKVHh |