September, 2010

Julia Gillard is leader of the ALP, #firstfemaleprimeminister, #firstelectedfemaleprimeminister, ready to head a new team and stamp her authority on the position, etc. Does it really boost her authority to constantly state and re-state that believe it or not (and like it or not, Kevin and Tony), she is, in fact, the captain? I don’t [...]

A short time ago Julia Gillard announced her ministry. Cabinet Julia Gillard Prime Minister Wayne Swan Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer Kevin Rudd Minister for Foreign Affairs Chris Evans Minister for Jobs, Skills and Workplace Relations Simon Crean Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Minister for the Arts Stephen Smith Minister for Defence [...]

Julia Gillard will cling to power by the narrowest possible margin after the independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor opted to back Labor, giving her 76 votes, after Bob Katter backed the Coalition earlier this afternoon. The price of power is a substantial regional development package and an as-yet-unspecified role for Oakeshott, who says he [...]

The execution of Kevin Rudd and the Coalition’s response to Bob Katter’s 20-point plan on indigenous affairs and the mining tax have prompted the North Queensland independent to back the Coalition and put Tony Abbott one vote closer to the Prime Ministership. In a hectic press conference in Katter’s Parliament House office, with most of [...]

Tony Abbott has apologised to Rob Oakeshott after the caller who phoned Oakeshott’s wife and identified himself as “the Devil” was outed as Bill Heffernan. I have to say, I find Heffernan’s explanation that it was meant as a “light-hearted, well-intended” phone call entirely convincing. He just didn’t want to scare anyone. And what would you [...]