STRIFE BEGINS AT 30

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has officially met the “30 consecutive Newspolls” benchmark he established to justify ousting former-leader Tony Abbott, with the Liberal-National Party Coalition currently trailing Labor 48/52 on a two-party preferred basis.

According to The Australian’s ($) exclusive opinion poll of 1597 voters, the Coalition has edged back a single point since March 25, where it trailed Labor 47/53, but Turnbull has lost ground on “Preferred PM”, dipping a point to 38, compared with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s steady 36. Turnbull has also fallen to within striking distance of Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop for “Preferred Liberal Leader” (28/27).

BAA’D FROM LEAVING

Maritime officials have blocked scandal-ridden live export ship Awassi Express from leaving Fremantle, Western Australia with 65,000 sheep bound for the Middle East.

The ABC reports that Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) inspectors made the decision based on concerns over airflow to sheep pens on the vessel (used by Emanuel Exports) and will have to see evidence of improvements before giving approval for departure. The decision follows news that 2400 sheep died during an August 2017 voyage on the ship, disturbing footage of which aired on 60 Minutes last night. 

SCOT HIM BY SURPRISE

Reigning Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers has suffered a surprise upset at last night’s men’s 100-metre freestyle, a disappointment offset by Cate Campbell leading an Australian trifecta in the women’s 50-metre butterfly final.

As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, Chalmers instead tied for silver with South Africa’s Chad le Clos, both losing out to Scotland’s Duncan Scott, although Chalmers at least went on to help bring the 4x200m freestyle relay team to victory. Campbell, who is quickly shaping up as a standout at this year’s Commonwealth Games, grabbed her third gold medal in an event she reportedly did not even practice for and only entered as a joke.

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

Two words: Linda Burney.

Kristina Keneally

The Labor Senator for New South Wales fact-checks Sky News’ claim that NT Councillor Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who has just won federal pre-selection by the Country Liberals, could be Australia’s first Indigenous woman in the lower house of parliament.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

The high cost of taking on the Tax Office

Newspoll: Siege mentality eats at Team Malcolm ($)

‘Business as usual’: PM to declare in defiance of poll

NBN launches fibre-to-the-curb technology, but existing customers won’t benefit

Josh Frydenberg lobbies AGL board to force Liddell power plant sale

Charles Waterstreet’s future as barrister in doubt as he declares bankruptcy

Trump: ‘big price to pay’ for suspected Syria chemical weapons attack

 

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Canberra

  • Tabling of inquiry report into the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017.

Perth

  • Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten begins a six-day tour of Western Australia, beginning with a joint press conference with Premier Mark McGowan this morning and town hall meeting with Cowan MP Anne Aly in Wanneroo tonight.

  • Pro-voluntarily euthanasia advocates Dying for Choice and Dignitas will give evidence at WA euthanasia inquiry.

  • Inquiry hearings into the growing presence of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-“style” art, craft products and merchandise will begin in Perth, before moving to Broome, Newman and Warmun. 

Melbourne

  • Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters will doorstop for public hospital funding in the area.

  • Shepparton Festival will launches at Fed Square with artist Tank, musicians, performers, growers and art cows.

Darwin

  • Inquiry into animal protection bill.

  • Prince Charles to visit Darwin and Gove, including visits to RAAF Base Darwin and Larrakeyah Defence Precinct.

Adelaide

  • South Australian Labor caucus will meet to elect a new leader, with former Health Minister Peter Malinauskas favoured to replace Jay Weatherill without opposition.

Hobart

  • The Australian Antarctic Division will release the first study recording sperm whale calls with underwater listening devices off East Antarctica in order to measure sperm whale seasonal presence and daily behaviour.

Morwell, Victoria

  • Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott will begin day two of the Pollie Pedal charity cycling event, leaving from Civic Park, Warragul this morning and meeting at Morwell RSL and Bushies Bakery, Glengarry before finishing for the day at Sale Port this afternoon.

Nathan, Queensland

  • Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow, who at 85 years old accepted the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, will speak at the Commonwealth Conference.

Ballarat/Hobart

  • The Earl of Wessex Prince Edward will play his fourth and fifth “Real Tennis Challenge” matches in Ballarat and Hobart respectively, as part of a program aimed at promoting indoor tennis to young people.

Houston, Texas

  • Former Sydney resident Asher Khan will be sentenced for terrorism-related offences in Houston, Texas.

THE COMMENTARIAT

Turnbull is wrong to give us tax cuts in the budget — Jessica Irvine (The Age): “Having floundered in his campaign to sell cuts his company tax cut, and due to clock up 30 Newspoll losses in a row today, it’s not hard to understand the politics behind why Malcolm Turnbull is keen to start talking about cutting personal income taxes. But the economics is more complicated.”

Face it, Malcolm Turnbull is streets ahead of Tony Abbott — Amanda Vanstone (SMH): “Monday might be a good time to try a day without any electronic news. Short of that, you might think of feigning illness of some sort just to get away from the inevitable babble about 30 news polls. It’s true that when Malcolm Turnbull announced his challenge to Tony Abbott’s leadership he commented on 30 negative polls … and a whole lot more. Apparently Tony Abbott is still spruiking the line that he ran a proper cabinet process. The LOL from cabinet ministers isn’t the ”lots of love’ thing.”

 

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF FRIDAY

Tony Abbott
Rundle: Abbott is a joke, a backbench gargoyle seemingly addicted to failureGuy Rundle

“But the question raised by recent events is: what is Tony Abbott faithful to? One answer, I suspect, in the wake of the Monash Forum fiasco is that beyond all concrete and particular beliefs, Tony Abbott is devoted to the beau idéal of failure. Failure has been his political muse for decades, coming to the fore once he gained power. Failure, in politics, is a form of secular martyrdom. Success? That would mean administration and governance, mingling your soul with the muck of the world. Failure preserves the soul’s integrity.”

‘I didn’t go into journalism to make friends, and I have succeeded’: Independent AustraliaEmily Watkins

“Of the websites we’ve profiled over the last couple of days, Independent Australia is a little different. Like Crikey, it’s a member of the Australian Press Council, and of the press gallery. However, editor David Donovan doesn’t agree with our assertion that it’s a ‘small’ site. With hundreds of contributors and 1500 subscribers, Donovan said in a written response to Crikey‘s questions: ‘We are one of Australia’s most well-read news outlets.’”

A primer on the economic relationship between Australia and NauruCharlie Lewis

“This week Nauru scrapped a treaty with Australia’s High Court — historically the highest court after Nauru’s Supreme Court — and now has no court of appeal. This is bad news for the Nauruan government’s political opponents, as well the asylum seekers still on the island left without an independent court to hear appeals.”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE