Nearly all the asylum seekers arriving by boat in Australia turn out to be genuine refugees. Equally unsurprising is the fact that the government wants to have it both ways on the issue.
READ MOREFederalism and local government
The Gillard government wants the constitutional power to fund local government directly. Here’s why that’s a bad idea.
READ MOREElection preview: Malaysia
Tomorrow brings what is probably Malaysia’s most competitive ever election. As usual, Australia’s support for democracy is at best lukewarm.
READ MORESame-sex marriage vs federalism
The ACT government thinks it can set up its own family law system. Supporters of marriage equality should recognise that that’s a bad idea.
READ MOREThe Dalai Lama gets his gig
Sydney University decides to risk the disapproval of the Chinese government and host a lecture by the Dalai Lama.
READ MORENew Zealand gets ahead again
New Zealand votes for marriage equality, with a bit more partisanship than you’d guess from the media reports.
READ MOREWhat rights do corporations get?
Unions NSW is launching a High Court challenge to election expenditure laws. A recent case from Pennsylvania provides an interesting contrast.
READ MOREReform in the Vatican: Pell to the rescue
Australia’s own George Pell is appointed to a new committee of cardinals that will advise on reform in the Vatican: a unique and difficult task.
READ MOREThe politics of (illegal) style
Actions are illegal, not people. But Associated Press has got itself into a political storm by acknowledging this conceptual truth.
READ MOREWhat happened yesterday
Simon Crean’s spectacular failure yesterday illustrates a common failing among modern politicians – an aversion to actual, good-faith negotiation.
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