Kristine Keneally headed for a rout
Kristina Keneally heading for a rout
- From: The Daily Telegraph
- June 21, 2010
- 65 comments
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally … is under fire from voters who think she has lost control of the NSW Government. Source: The Daily Telegraph
The new State Liberal MP for Penrith Stuart Ayres with his partner Federal Liberal Senator Marise Payne and NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell at Penrith after his win. Picture: Jeff Herbert Source: The Daily Telegraph
THE gloss has worn off for Kristina Keneally, with polling revealing voters think the Premier is not in charge of her Government and that she should be held to account for ministerial scandals.
Labor copped a record 25.5 per cent swing in Saturday’s Penrith by-election – worse than the 23 per cent swing former premier Nathan Rees suffered in Ryde in 2008.
Labor’s John Thain won just 24.4 per cent of the primary vote, less than half the 50.9 per cent claimed by Liberal Stuart Ayres, and the Greens 12.6 per cent. On a two-party-preferred basis, the Liberal party was ahead 66.3 per cent to 33.7 per cent.
Ms Keneally yesterday tried to put the blame for the defeat on former member Karyn Paluzzano, who quit after she was caught lying to ICAC, saying it was a warning that all members needed to act with “integrity”. She refused to accept personal responsibility for the rout but “humbly accepted the verdict of the people of Penrith”.
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Rudd told to sort mining tax or face axe
Kevin Rudd told to sort mining tax or face axe
- From: The Sunday Telegraph
- June 20, 2010
- 25 comments
KEVIN Rudd is being urged by senior party figures to quickly resolve the mining tax debacle or face certain defeat at the upcoming federal election.
Influential former ALP strategist Graham Richardson said yesterday the resource super-profits tax fight with the mining industry was hurting the Prime Minister “every single day”.
“If he doesn’t resolve that tax very soon, in the next week or two, then I don’t think he can (win),” Mr Richardson said.
“Queensland is going so badly for him now over this mining tax that it’s going to be be very hard to recover.
“Here is a simple message from the miners – the mining industry is the backbone of our recovery, if you destroy that, you can destroy our economy. It’s a pretty simple message and Labor hasn’t come anywhere near counteracting it.”
Penrith result highlights Labor’s struggle
Penrith result highlights Labor’s struggle
Updated
Disappointed: Kristina Keneally blamed anger at Karyn Paluzzano for the party’s poor result. (ABC Mildura Swan Hill: Deborah O’Callaghan)
Experts say the record swing away from Labor in yesterday’s Penrith by-election is a cause for concern for the New South Wales and federal governments.
Liberals candidate Stuart Ayres received a 25.5 per cent swing away from Labor – beating the record set in the 2008 Ryde by-election.
Labor’s primary vote in Penrith was also halved since the 2007 election.
The ABC’s election analyst, Antony Green, believes Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be closely analysing yesterday’s result.
Penrith By-election
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Rudd predicts poll thrashing over mining tax
NB He predicts a thrashing, Let’s not disappoint him
Rudd predicts poll thrashing over mining tax
Updated
Mr Rudd says that despite an election nearing, the Government is determined to introduce the tax. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst, file photo)
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he will continue to take a “whacking” in the polls as the stand-off continues over the Government’s proposed resources tax.
In his first appearance on ABC1’s 7:30 Report since his infamous “7:30 Report land” quip, Mr Rudd said it will be a “long-fought and tough debate” over the super profits tax.
His comments come as he faced pressure from his own party to settle the dispute with the mining industry over the proposed 40 per cent tax on above normal profits.
The Opposition is campaigning strongly against the proposal, arguing that it will affect everyone’s cost of living.
Recent surveys showed the Government’s popularity plummeting in the wake of the tax announcement.