Monday 17 June 2013
it looks like farewell to Julia
Julia Gillard's "gender war" is scaring men away from her with the latest poll showing a seven per cent drop in support, entirely led by male voters.
The latest poll shows that male voters are deserting Prime Minister Julia Gillard in droves while there is little sign of more women coming on board.
The Fairfax Media/Neilsen poll released on Monday shows Labor's support continues to slide, led entirely by a seven per cent exit of men.
Under the two-party preferred vote, the Coalition romps home 57 per cent (up three points) to 43 per cent (down three points).
Labor's primary vote, which had been in the low 30s, has gone from bad to worse to 29 per cent with the Coalition at 47 per cent - a whopping 18 point lead which would wipe out 35 Labor MPs.
The poll suggests that Ms Gillard's lament that the abortion issue would be a plaything of male politicians under a Coalition government, did not resonate with men.
Ms Gillard's standing as the preferred prime minister also headed south giving her her lowest approval rating in a year - down five points to 41 per cent compared to Opposition leader Tony Abbott's 50 per cent, which is up four points.
When asked who would they vote for if Kevin Rudd was prime minister, suddenly Labor is almost 50-50 chance against the Coalition.
But as pollster John Stirton points out, many of those responding could be rusted-on Liberal voters wanting to cause some ruckus in Labor ranks.
He said said the swing against Labor occurred only among men with Labor's primary vote down seven points among male voters and up only one point among women.
However, if Mr Rudd were running things, the poll shows a major swing back for Labor at 40 per cent with the Coalition at 42 per cent.
Mr Rudd beats Ms Gillard as preferred Labor leader by 58 per cent to 32.
In the Liberal ranks, former leader Malcolm Turnbull is also more popular than Mr Abbott - at 62 to 32 per cent.
NO ACTION ON LEADERSHIP: EMERSON
Cabinet minister Craig Emerson has acknowledged there is internal chatter about the Labor leadership.
"I'm hearing talk and no action, and that's as it should be," he told ABC radio on Monday.
Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury, who holds the marginal western Sydney seat of Lindsay, says there is no point sugar-coating the challenge facing Labor.
But he dismissed polls showing Labor had a 50-50 chance of winning the election if Ms Gillard was replaced by Kevin Rudd.
"To some extent there's a bit of grass is greener on the other side effect," he told ABC radio.
Mr Bradbury said there had been an effort to diminish the "great achievements" of the Gillard government.
"People seem so intent to focus and to obsess on and crucify her and us for every mistake."
Retiring Labor backbencher Steve Gibbons says he will never support Mr Rudd's return.
"He knows that, I've said that to his face," he told ABC radio.
The MP doubted claims by Rudd supporters that there was a growing mood for a leadership change.
"They've being saying that for 12 months and it hasn't happened and I don't think it will happen this time."
Labor backbencher Andrew Leigh says Ms Gillard will still be leader at the end of this sitting fortnight.
"The party is going to go to the next election with Julia Gillard as leader," he told reporters in Canberra.
But he admits Labor will be the underdog in September: "You can see that in the polls or you can see that from looking at the arrogance Tony Abbott now has."
Fellow backbencher Deb O'Neill says she supports Ms Gillard but the Labor caucus will ultimately decide on the party leadership "if an opportunity arises".
She dismissed a story that Ms Gillard is warning supporters her education funding reforms will be doomed if Mr Rudd returns to the leadership.
"That is not a conversation that I have had with anyone."
The Fairfax Media/Neilsen poll released on Monday shows Labor's support continues to slide, led entirely by a seven per cent exit of men.
Under the two-party preferred vote, the Coalition romps home 57 per cent (up three points) to 43 per cent (down three points).
Labor's primary vote, which had been in the low 30s, has gone from bad to worse to 29 per cent with the Coalition at 47 per cent - a whopping 18 point lead which would wipe out 35 Labor MPs.
The poll suggests that Ms Gillard's lament that the abortion issue would be a plaything of male politicians under a Coalition government, did not resonate with men.
Ms Gillard's standing as the preferred prime minister also headed south giving her her lowest approval rating in a year - down five points to 41 per cent compared to Opposition leader Tony Abbott's 50 per cent, which is up four points.
When asked who would they vote for if Kevin Rudd was prime minister, suddenly Labor is almost 50-50 chance against the Coalition.
But as pollster John Stirton points out, many of those responding could be rusted-on Liberal voters wanting to cause some ruckus in Labor ranks.
He said said the swing against Labor occurred only among men with Labor's primary vote down seven points among male voters and up only one point among women.
However, if Mr Rudd were running things, the poll shows a major swing back for Labor at 40 per cent with the Coalition at 42 per cent.
Mr Rudd beats Ms Gillard as preferred Labor leader by 58 per cent to 32.
In the Liberal ranks, former leader Malcolm Turnbull is also more popular than Mr Abbott - at 62 to 32 per cent.
NO ACTION ON LEADERSHIP: EMERSON
Cabinet minister Craig Emerson has acknowledged there is internal chatter about the Labor leadership.
"I'm hearing talk and no action, and that's as it should be," he told ABC radio on Monday.
Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury, who holds the marginal western Sydney seat of Lindsay, says there is no point sugar-coating the challenge facing Labor.
But he dismissed polls showing Labor had a 50-50 chance of winning the election if Ms Gillard was replaced by Kevin Rudd.
"To some extent there's a bit of grass is greener on the other side effect," he told ABC radio.
Mr Bradbury said there had been an effort to diminish the "great achievements" of the Gillard government.
"People seem so intent to focus and to obsess on and crucify her and us for every mistake."
Retiring Labor backbencher Steve Gibbons says he will never support Mr Rudd's return.
"He knows that, I've said that to his face," he told ABC radio.
The MP doubted claims by Rudd supporters that there was a growing mood for a leadership change.
"They've being saying that for 12 months and it hasn't happened and I don't think it will happen this time."
Labor backbencher Andrew Leigh says Ms Gillard will still be leader at the end of this sitting fortnight.
"The party is going to go to the next election with Julia Gillard as leader," he told reporters in Canberra.
But he admits Labor will be the underdog in September: "You can see that in the polls or you can see that from looking at the arrogance Tony Abbott now has."
Fellow backbencher Deb O'Neill says she supports Ms Gillard but the Labor caucus will ultimately decide on the party leadership "if an opportunity arises".
She dismissed a story that Ms Gillard is warning supporters her education funding reforms will be doomed if Mr Rudd returns to the leadership.
"That is not a conversation that I have had with anyone."
Saturday 15 June 2013
About Bicycles...The Giant Roam and the Black Messina. Bicycles are the most wonderful things.
I bought the base-model Giant Road/Off-Road Roam model bicycle the other day for about $450Au...standard brakes, large frame, 26" wheels...aluminium frame...and I put some lights on it.
It has Shimano 24 gears, a high riding position and it is an excellent base machine.
I almost bought the Giant updated model for about $900 with the hydraulic disc brakes and 28" wheels and composite frame but why buy a bike just because it stops better?
Or the Bianchi similar model for $760...(mind you, the Bianchi is a nice Italian design, made in Taiwan)
after thinking myself out of buying a road-racing bike...
and it was a good decision...for now.
We have two bicycles still in Thailand and my wife rides the Orange Giant Rincon to work each day and it is a very nice machine, indeed, which is why I was interested in the Giant Brand. They're good bikes when new and just as good 6 years later. The Orange Giant was made in Taiwan whereas the new Model Roam is made in China, but the quality is the same: very, very good.
Meanwhile, the bike I bought about 3 years ago, the Black Messina- a Chinese-Italian Hybrid (aka the "Funky Black Messina", without a doubt the most beautiful design for a bike I've ever seen) with standard brakes, 26 inch narrow wheels, and Shimano 21 gears lay forlorn for 2 years after the spokes on it succumbed to 'spoke cancer' caused by the wet salty air of Cronulla and Cairns.
My good wife talked me out of throwing it away and instead having the wheels replaced.
This was an excellent decision. It's hers now.
With new lighter alloy wheels, this Black Messina is a very beautiful machine indeed... the ride is firmer than the Giant and the gearing isn't as advanced, but it does have a lighter alloy frame, and it is still a faster and lighter delightful machine...so my Dear Beautiful Wife now rides past me into the beautiful future on it...and certainly looks much better than I ever did on a bicycle.
Bicycles are the most wonderful things.
We went for a 10 kilometre ride tonight in the dark cool tropics...down the back streets to an area where kangaroos jump about...thousands of them...just 10 kms from the city centre.
The wonderful thing about the bike ride was: the sensation of the Motion + the Silence + the Wind.
This is a wonderful way to enter into the most profound and lovely meditation, indeed... it is like being part of the night, and part gliding hushed angel...it is heavenly experience...so easy, and free.
The Funky Black Messina
The Giant Roam
It has Shimano 24 gears, a high riding position and it is an excellent base machine.
I almost bought the Giant updated model for about $900 with the hydraulic disc brakes and 28" wheels and composite frame but why buy a bike just because it stops better?
Or the Bianchi similar model for $760...(mind you, the Bianchi is a nice Italian design, made in Taiwan)
after thinking myself out of buying a road-racing bike...
and it was a good decision...for now.
We have two bicycles still in Thailand and my wife rides the Orange Giant Rincon to work each day and it is a very nice machine, indeed, which is why I was interested in the Giant Brand. They're good bikes when new and just as good 6 years later. The Orange Giant was made in Taiwan whereas the new Model Roam is made in China, but the quality is the same: very, very good.
Meanwhile, the bike I bought about 3 years ago, the Black Messina- a Chinese-Italian Hybrid (aka the "Funky Black Messina", without a doubt the most beautiful design for a bike I've ever seen) with standard brakes, 26 inch narrow wheels, and Shimano 21 gears lay forlorn for 2 years after the spokes on it succumbed to 'spoke cancer' caused by the wet salty air of Cronulla and Cairns.
My good wife talked me out of throwing it away and instead having the wheels replaced.
This was an excellent decision. It's hers now.
With new lighter alloy wheels, this Black Messina is a very beautiful machine indeed... the ride is firmer than the Giant and the gearing isn't as advanced, but it does have a lighter alloy frame, and it is still a faster and lighter delightful machine...so my Dear Beautiful Wife now rides past me into the beautiful future on it...and certainly looks much better than I ever did on a bicycle.
Bicycles are the most wonderful things.
We went for a 10 kilometre ride tonight in the dark cool tropics...down the back streets to an area where kangaroos jump about...thousands of them...just 10 kms from the city centre.
The wonderful thing about the bike ride was: the sensation of the Motion + the Silence + the Wind.
This is a wonderful way to enter into the most profound and lovely meditation, indeed... it is like being part of the night, and part gliding hushed angel...it is heavenly experience...so easy, and free.
The Funky Black Messina
The Giant Roam
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