Dutton, Pay TV and a World Cup

Liberals have a Dutton problem

A poll published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday made for interesting, though not entirely unexpected reading.

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A year on from forming government, Labor has been given a vote of confidence by most Australians with 63 per cent saying the government has done a good job, and only 29 per cent rating it poorly.

Sunday will be the one-year anniversary of Anthony Albanese toppling Scott Morrison to win the election and it’s hard to argue Labor’s first year can be given a definite pass mark, albeit at times shaky.

The real problem the Coalition face in its attempted re-build is not Labor or Albanese’s popularity, but the lack of appetite for Peter Dutton to ever be Prime Minister.

He sits at a preferred PM result of just 20 per cent and it would be difficult to see him making all that much ground before an election that is only two years away.

It’s not that Dutton is a poor performer; indeed he’s one of the most experienced politicians in Canberra.

But he is seen as being part of the old guard; leftover from a period of politics most Australians voted to leave behind them last May.

He faces a difficult road ahead; particularly as he mounts what is essentially a “no” campaign against The Voice referendum, from which he will have just 18 months to recover should the “yes” vote get up.

Even rusted on Coalition voters must know Dutton will not be the next Prime Minister of Australia and certainly not the next Liberal Prime Minister. That person may not even be in Parliament yet.

Just as Labor had to recover from the turmoil of the Rudd / Gillard / Rudd years, the Coalition needs to find a way back into the hearts of Australians and return itself to being a legitimate political force.

Political bloodbaths happen, and so do resurgences from the grave, but Dutton just doesn’t have the cut through to rescue the Liberals from this.

It may be he has to lead them to an election defeat in 2025, and hope that a rising star emerges from the rubble for the election after that.

As it stands, the wider electorate sees the Coalition as divided, with no real clarity on what it stands for. Until they can sort out those issues, they’re no chance of mounting a legitimate chance to win government again.

Indeed, Albanese may find a path to going to an early election at the back end of next year, if he remains in such a dominant position.

Are Foxtel’s days numbered?

Subscription TV provider Foxtel is increasing its prices in July, prompting the question: are you still connected to Australia’s most expensive TV service?

Foxtel launched with a bang in 1995, almost three decades ago now, and built a huge subscriber base during a period in which it dominated the Pay TV sector.

But now Foxtel faces more competition than ever, as far cheaper streaming services like Netflix, Stan, Disney+ and Paramount+ become staples of households across the country.

Depending on your package, and negotiating skills, your Foxtel connection can cost you anywhere from $59 a month to $120, and even more with various add-ons like an additional box.

Despite it being the home to a range of exclusive sports coverage, and major shows like ‘Succession’, there’s no question it’s an expensive outlay.

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And from July 2023, the price of Foxtel basic packs will go up by $3 per month, with the BYO Platinum HD package going up by $2 per month.

For some, it may be the breaking point.

You have to wonder how long Foxtel will persist with its current model. It has launched its own streaming services, Binge and Kayo, in an attempt to attract newer and presumably younger audiences, as well as those looking for much of the same content but at a cheaper price.

However, Binge and Kayo are among the most expensive streaming platforms – though some would argue have the best content.

So often Foxtel advertises shows that it has on its platform as being on Binge and Binge only; almost ignoring its Foxtel audience or that the brand even exists, which may be telling and certainly would have to stifle audience growth.

Whatever happens in the future, there can be no question that Foxtel charging $100+ a month for its subscription service can’t be a viable long-term option.

Australia must host next World Cup France’s decision to pull out of hosting the next Rugby League World Cup in 2025 opens the door for Australia to come to the rescue and host the event.

It’s an enormous opportunity to have matches not only in every major Australian city, but to extend games to New Zealand and even league-mad Papua New Guinea.

The rise of teams like Samoa and Tonga and their huge supporter bases in Australia make it a logical decision.

Rugby league is currently enjoying stunning TV ratings, strong crowds and something of a resurgence, all supported by expansion (with more to come) and the NRLW competition.

But the game cannot rest on its laurels. Novelty moves like opening the season in Las Vegas may be all fun and games, but events like the World Cup being played here at home can solidify the growth being experienced.

It should be high on the NRL’s agenda.

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Anew safe haven that will assist women and children affected by domestic, family and sexual violence has opened its doors in Penrith, marking the first kind of a new type of support model.

The refuge, which is operated by The Haven – Nepean Women’s Shelter under the Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) network, is supported by $7.8 million in NSW government funding under Tranche 1 of the Core and Cluster initiative.

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jodie Harrison, said the refuge is the first of roughly 70 facilities that will be rolled out.

“We know that more than 50 per cent of women who apply to crisis shelters are turned away due to limited capacity and each night more than 56,000 women across Australia are homeless, while more than 75 per cent of their homelessness is attributed to domestic violence,” Harrison said.

“This has 11 self-contained residential units that will provide somewhere to live for up to 47 women and 93 children each year.

“It will provide safety and dignity for women and children but also allows them to access counselling services, legal assistance and employment services.”

There will be a mixture of crisis accommo- dation and rapid rehousing units ranging from 12 weeks to six months, with clients having access to staff support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel said The Haven residences are the 10th addition to the Women’s Community Shelters network.

“It has been just over five years since The

Haven was first brought to life in the local community and since then it has become embedded and very cherished part of this local area,” Daniel said.

“It is delightful to be working together in partnership with so many to take it to the next level and provide that very unique identified support that was noted by our amazing Shelter Manager Sam on the ground.”

Part of that partnership is Evolve Housing, which is headed by CEO Lyall Gorman.

“Our dream, our hope, our passion is that these facilities are not needed in years to come and that our society is that settled and respectful as everyone is entitled to a safe place to live,” Gorman said.

“In the meantime, we need a collaborative mindset in addressing these critical issues. It can’t just be a government challenge; it has to be community challenge and we’re blessed to have the partnerships we have to have brought this to life.”

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown is proud of the service but said the gravity of the situation is unfortunate.

“Penrith has that very sad statistic as being up there as one of the highest LGAs with incidents of domestic and family violence,” McKeown said.

“That is something we are not proud of, but I am proud that our State Government will be rolling these out over the coming years, and this is going to be a magnificent facility.”