Upper Hunter surfaces federal Laborâs political challenges
The byelection fallout leaves federal Labor in the weak position of needing to somehow resolve the internal culture war between its traditional blue-collar base and inner-city progressives.
May 23, 2021 â 6.46pm
Save
Share
The Upper Hunter isnât exactly a regional coal seat and part of the Labor Partyâs traditional Hunter Valley blue-collar heartland. But the state seat forms part of the genuine heartland federal seat of Hunter, which was only narrowly retained at the 2019 election by Laborâs former energy and resources spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon.
Federal implications should be drawn cautiously from a state byelection, especially amid the extraordinary circumstances of the global pandemic. But despite the power of incumbency during the pandemic, the humiliating 7 per cent swing against NSW Labor in the Upper Hunter byelection has drawn to the surface the difficult political challenges facing f
NSW Nationals set to win crucial by-election for Upper Hunter seat dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Australian PM says trade volumes show China values bilateral relationship Reuters 5 hrs ago
By Colin Packham
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pointed to strong trade with China as evidence of an ongoing relationship despite Beijing s criticism of Canberra, as opposition Labor accused him of using alarmist rhetoric for domestic political gains.
Bilateral ties have sunk to their lowest point in decades, and China has in recent months moved to restrict imports of Australian products such as barley, wine and beef after Morrison led calls for a global inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.
But Morrison said sales of other commodities illustrate the relationship has not broken down.
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he hopes a red carpet welcome for his successor Scott Morrison at a Newcastle air force base “won’t be repeated”, after an Instagram snap of the guard of honour went viral online.
The Department of Defence claimed the official welcome – including numerous Air Force members standing at attention, brandishing Australian flags was “standard protocol”, but Mr Turnbull and fellow former PM Kevin Rudd said they never received such a welcome.
The unusual controversy was set off on May 7, when Mr Morrison visited RAAF Williamtown, north of Newcastle in the NSW Hunter region.
He was in town to announce $66 million to upgrade the Newcastle Airport runway, to allow larger aircraft to land, which Mr Morrison said would “leverage our significant defence investments at RAAF Base Williamtown”.