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Malcolm Turnbull's pumped hydro venture in the Upper Hunter theland.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theland.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The government risked losing its majority and the pressure was on Labor to win Upper Hunter for the first time. Working-class voters in Muswellbrook and Singleton, in the centre of the electorate, had helped Labor build up its vote to nearly 30%, making the seat winnable. However, Labor’s Jeff Drayton, a Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) official, failed to get traction on his strongly pro-coal platform, polling just over 21%. The drop in Labor’s vote is comparable to the 13% won by anti-coal independents. Kirsty O’Connell, supported by former Prime Minister now climate activist Malcolm Turnbull, polled 9% and Tracey Norman, former mayor of Dungog in the east of the electorate, won 4%.
The fall in Labor’s vote in the Upper Hunter by-election underscores the collapse of its support in key working class areas, after decades of implementing the dictates of the corporate elite.
“No one has asked me to step down, no one. That includes no one within the party and no one within the caucus,” she said. The Sydney Morning Herald had reported Nanva had suggested McKay should step down. But the opposition leader called the report erroneous and “far from the truth” – hinting she was the subject of a smear campaign by others who aspired to lead the party. Referring to her previous return to politics after losing the seat of Newcastle, when Labor colleagues engineered a campaign to unseat her, McKay said she remained the best person to ensure there was integrity within Labor.
The majority of Australians want action on climate change even if it costs them significant money, with the longest-running poll of attitudes also showing almost two-thirds would back a ban on new coal mines.
Save Share Jodi McKay is digging in as NSW Labor leader even as one of her most senior frontbenchers quits in protest over the bitter internal battle inside the state party. State and federal Labor are reeling from a 7 per cent swing against the party in first preference votes in a NSW state byelection at the weekend. NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay says no one has challenged her in the wake of the âterribleâ weekend byelection. Wolter Peeters Shadow treasurer Walt Secord quit the Opposition ministry in protest on Tuesday afternoon over a dirt file being circulated about Labor leadership hopeful Chris Minns.
Climate concerns resume rise as coal mine ban draws support, Lowy says smh.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from smh.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MacroBusiness Access Subscriber Only Content at 9:00 am on May 24, 2021 | 37 comments After the weekend’s Hunter Valley state by-election won by the Nats, PM Morrison is cock-a-whoop. He says: Working-class voters love the Coalition. They are aspirational not victims. Wages only rise when businesses grow. The blundering Morrison has done a great job of refashioning his immense mistakes into a working-class welfare spendathon and now we get the rebranding for it. Let’s not forget that the truth of it is: Morrison gaffes have cut the Hunter off from its major export market in China. Morrison repeatedly tried and failed to reopen borders mid-pandemic.