In the first decade after Federation, the conservative forces (Deakin’s protectionists and Reid’s free traders) opted for fusion in the face of the growing electoral and parliamentary strength of the Labor party. The formation of the Country Party in 1922 introduced a clear rural interest, and took votes from the ALP and bolstered the conservative [...]
READ MORE10 Results
TURNBULL
Laziness is not the way to the Lodge
Malcolm Turnbull has failed on two fronts this week, political donations and the ETS legislation. The idea that the Opposition will oppose the Government’s reforms on political donations because they don’t go far enough is pure poppycock. More serious is the admission that the Opposition will oppose the Government’s ETS legislation but will not put [...]
READ MORETurnbull calls Rudd’s election bluff
Turnbull did his job tonight. Rudd now has a choice. He can accept Turnbull’s proposal to raise tobacco excise instead of means testing private health insurance or he can hold an election this year. Rudd can’t afford to let Turnbull get the better of him in Parliament, so he will have to call the election [...]
READ MORERudd sticks with “Fortress Australia” among funding doubts
Kevin Rudd has rejected criticism of his deeply flawed defence build-up. In fact, he seems unwilling or unable to defend the logic of that disgraceful white paper. Just flicking reporters with an “I’m the PM and you’re not” response. The BBC points out that the strategic hysteria underpinning the white paper and the crazy buildup [...]
READ MOREOpposition divides on broadband plan
The vehement opposition of Malcolm Turnbull and Senator Minchin to the Government’s broadband masterstroke has been undermined from within: The federal government’s surprise decision to establish its own company to build a national broadband network is not a new concept, the Nationals say. The rural-based political party came up with the idea in 2005. “It’s [...]
READ MOREThe yellow peril is back
Former AusAID manager, Mark Thomson writes: The tiny coterie of regular readers of this blog will know I’m no fan of the ruling regime in China. I am a strident critic of China’s human rights record and its colonial repression of Tibet. However, the recent foray of senior Opposition politicians into the realms of fear [...]
READ MORE
What the Dickens, Costello?
One of Evelyn Waugh’s bitterest satires, if such a fine distinction can be drawn, is A Handful of Dust. The hero of the novel Tony Last is a decent man whose life is destroyed by the barely concealed barbarity of those around him. Poor Tony’s final humiliation is to be imprisoned in a remote jungle [...]
READ MORE
Rudd rides tall
“Somebody should punch you in the mouth Malcolm Turnbull, but I ain’t gonna do it. The hell I aint”. Get outta my way pilgrim.
READ MOREMalcolm Baldrick’s cunning plan
Trevor Cook says in urging fiscal discipline on a Government determined to hand out cash to millions of voters, Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has challenged one of the verities of Australian politics. “Malcolm Turnbull and the Opposition are now terribly concerned about the Government’s $42 billion package but on day one of the 2007 election [...]
READ MOREDodson’s ‘invasion day’ debate is a step backwards
Australian of the year, Mick Dodson, has called for a national discussion of the idea that Australia Day should be moved, Prime Minister Rudd has quickly cut Dodson’s idea adrift before it did him any collateral political damage, as has Malcolm Turnbull. The problem with Dodson’s idea is that it is essentially divisive. What Dodson, [...]
READ MORE
