Corflute ban looms for fed up Aussies
A local Sydney council has voted to consider a total ban on election corflutes on all public infrastructure, citing 'visual pollution' and a perceived 'impost on campaigns' for the move.
Randwick Council voted 9-5 on Tuesday night to pass a motion from Greens councillor Masmoomeh Asgari for council staff to report on reducing election waste material and banning corflutes on council property, including parking poles.
'In the past three years we have had two federal elections, a state election and a local government election and in each case large amounts of waste have been produced in the form of corflutes and paper (how-to-votes and flyers) in order to inform voters about candidates, their policies and how they should vote,' the motion states.
'Corflute waste is a particular issue in Randwick. Ausgrid have banned them on telegraph poles, so the main display structures are council's parking poles and the like.
'This annoys residents due to the visual pollution, the inconvenience of placement and the litter, including from plastic ties.
'Informing voters is essential in a democracy but it's time to investigate how this can be done with less waste.' Randwick Council has voted to investigate whether or not to ban election corflutes. NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia
The potential ban follows a burst of corflute controversy in the May 3 federal election, including furious debate over where exactly corflutes are permitted.
Footage of federal independent MP Monique Ryan's husband Peter Jordan pulling down a corflute of Liberal challenger Amelia Hamer went viral on social media during the heated Kooyong contest in Melbourne.
The footage shows Mr Jordan walking away with the Hamer placard, with a Liberal Party supporter pursuing him.
Mr Jordan claims the sign had been illegally placed on public land.
'I'm taking the sign down … it's on public land … I'm not saying who I am,' Mr Jordan says in the video.
Responding to the kerfuffle, the Australian Electoral Commission said it did not regulate the placement of political signage.
'Signage on public land is generally a matter for local council,' the AEC said.
Later, Mr Jordan apologised for the blow up.
'I unreservedly apologise for removing the sign. It was a mistake,' he said.
'I believed the sign was illegally placed, but I should have reported my concerns to council.'
South Australia, meanwhile, has banned corflutes from public roads, trees and poles in state and federal elections.
Randwick, which takes in Sydney's eastern beach suburbs, sits within the federal electorates of Wentworth and Kingsford Smith.
Liberal councillor Christie Hamilton voted against the motion on Tuesday night, telling NewsWire candidate posters served an important democratic function.
'I don't think we should ban them everywhere,' she said.
'They trigger for people that there is an election coming. It is up to the parties and candidates to do all they can do to put their candidates out there and it needs to be visual.
'It can't just be words on a page, they need to see who the person is. And if they see them on the street, they can come up and talk to them.
'It's part of the democratic process.' Randwick Council encompasses Sydney's eastern beachside suburbs. NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia
Ms Hamilton said Ms Asgari's motion had come about because of Greens anger over their corflutes being taken down during campaigns.
'Everyone gets their corflutes taken down,' she said.
'(Liberal Wentworth candidate) Ro Knox had her corflutes taken down. There's nothing you can do about it.
'She (Ro Knox) put up funny stickers saying, 'please don't steal my corflutes'. You try to combat it with a bit of humour.'
A report on the motion is expected within six months and Ms Hamilton said that vote on the report's recommendation would be the crucial one to watch for.
'When it comes back with the recommendation, that's when the real fight will start,' she said.
'I don't think Labor (councillors) will do it.'
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Ex-premier tips Liberal leadership change to avoid poll
Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. 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He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
He stopped women joining the Australian Club. Now he's rewriting the NSW Liberals' rules
The Liberal elder who said women were 'now sufficiently assertive' has tasked retired Federal Court judge Peter Graham, KC, a key instigator in blocking female membership to the male-only Australian Club, with rewriting the rules governing the NSW party. Former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale, who is one of the administrators running the troubled NSW division of the party, has appointed Graham and one-time party deputy president Rhondda Vanzella to redraft the NSW Liberal constitution. Stockdale was widely criticised this week after he told the NSW Liberal Women's Council on Tuesday night that women were 'now sufficiently assertive that we should be giving some thought to whether we need to protect men's involvement'. Graham, meanwhile, was a driving force behind the campaign against allowing women to join the Australian Club, telling members in a 10-page missive in 2021 that the club was 'a place where you could get away from bossy women'. He also insisted women who might be considered for membership, 'were the club to be a mixed-sex club', would not be assessed for membership on 'the basis of their positions in business, politics or the law, medicine, dentistry, architecture etc or the arts or in agriculture. Loading 'Rather whether they were ladies, congenial, well-liked and honourable and whether they would respect confidences,' Graham wrote on May 31, 2021. Former leader Peter Dutton last year appointed Stockdale, former Victorian senator Richard Alston and one-time NSW MP Peta Seaton as administrators to run the NSW division after its spectacular failure to nominate 144 candidates for the local government elections. Since the administrators set up the constitution committee of Graham and Vanzella, its operations have been a closely guarded secret, according to several party members who are not authorised to speak publicly about the intervention.
The Age
7 hours ago
- The Age
He stopped women joining the Australian Club. Now he's rewriting the NSW Liberals' rules
The Liberal elder who said women were 'now sufficiently assertive' has tasked retired Federal Court judge Peter Graham, KC, a key instigator in blocking female membership to the male-only Australian Club, with rewriting the rules governing the NSW party. Former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale, who is one of the administrators running the troubled NSW division of the party, has appointed Graham and one-time party deputy president Rhondda Vanzella to redraft the NSW Liberal constitution. Stockdale was widely criticised this week after he told the NSW Liberal Women's Council on Tuesday night that women were 'now sufficiently assertive that we should be giving some thought to whether we need to protect men's involvement'. Graham, meanwhile, was a driving force behind the campaign against allowing women to join the Australian Club, telling members in a 10-page missive in 2021 that the club was 'a place where you could get away from bossy women'. He also insisted women who might be considered for membership, 'were the club to be a mixed-sex club', would not be assessed for membership on 'the basis of their positions in business, politics or the law, medicine, dentistry, architecture etc or the arts or in agriculture. Loading 'Rather whether they were ladies, congenial, well-liked and honourable and whether they would respect confidences,' Graham wrote on May 31, 2021. Former leader Peter Dutton last year appointed Stockdale, former Victorian senator Richard Alston and one-time NSW MP Peta Seaton as administrators to run the NSW division after its spectacular failure to nominate 144 candidates for the local government elections. Since the administrators set up the constitution committee of Graham and Vanzella, its operations have been a closely guarded secret, according to several party members who are not authorised to speak publicly about the intervention.
