Ministerial divisions have broken spectacularly into the open over whether Tony Abbott’s proposed popular vote on same-sex marriage should be a plebiscite or a constitutional referendum.
- Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Tony Abbott is burnishing his lines for a popular vote on same-sex marriage in the next term, if he wins one. Abbott told parliament on Wednesday: “Going into the next election there will be two parties…
A ruthlessly determined Tony Abbott has got his way on same-sex marriage. Coalition MPs came out two to one in favour of the government’s current policy and against a free vote, in an extraordinary meeting…
Australia will take a target of reducing emissions by 26-28% on 2005 levels by 2030 to the Paris climate conference.
Chris Bowen and Michelle Grattan step away from the day-to-day politics to talk about Bowen’s new book, The Money Men, in which he writes about twelve of Australia’s most notable treasurers.
For the second time this year Liberal MPs have asserted themselves over their leader. Making it clear they wanted a contest for the speakership, with no attempted “captain’s pick”, was nothing like the…
Victorian Liberal Tony Smith has convincingly won his party’s ballot for speaker and outlined to the House of Representatives his plans to improve the operation of what has been a chaotic parliament.
The opposition has widened its two-party lead over the Coalition in Newspoll as MPs return for a new parliamentary session rocked by voters’ anger over parliamentary entitlements.
Memo from Finance Department to minister Mathias Cormann: “Urgently needed – staff reinforcements for the Great Expense Chase”. Just joking. But only a little.
After a spectacular run-in with Environment Minister Greg Hunt recently over the proposed Shenhua Watermark coal mine, broadcaster Alan Jones had Trade Minister Andrew Robb in his sights on Wednesday…
Queensland Liberal MP Ross Vasta has thrown his hat in the ring for the position of speaker.
The government has unveiled a centrepiece of its coming Defence White Paper, bringing forward a $40 billion program to build surface warships.
The Productivity Commission has recommended paring back Sunday penalty rates, more consideration to economic circumstances in setting minimum wages, and a new form of statutory employment contract.
The glittering prize of the speakership is dangling in front of the eyes of several backbenchers whose careers are becalmed. They have a rare chance. Almost all advancement in the government is in the…
One snippet sums up Bronwyn Bishop’s disconnect with the real world. Her spokesman was quoted at the weekend saying she had often preferred limousines because they could travel in bus lanes, thus getting…
Bronwyn Bishop has finally quit the speakership after weeks of revelations about her extravagant claims.
Stephen Parker and Michelle Grattan discuss the week in politics including Bronwyn Bishop’s entitlements claims and the ministerial reaction to the issue.
One’s first question, on hearing Bronwyn Bishop’s unconvincing apology was: did Tony Abbott suggest the approach when the two met in Sydney on Wednesday to discuss tactics for handling the crisis?
Arguably, though they are far less spectacular, Bronwyn Bishop’s claims for trips during which she attended the weddings of Liberal colleagues in 2006 and 2007 are even more red-hot than the notorious…
Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has said if the vilification of Adam Goodes does not stop, players may have to take matters into their own hands and walk off the field in protest.
If Tony Abbott wants to defer indefinitely the issue of same-sex marriage, he really should come out and say so. As things stand, he seems just to be trifling with colleagues in the Liberal Party. The…
Tony Abbott encountered some heavy weather on Monday as he sought to discredit Labor’s goal of having 50% of Australian’s electricity from renewables by 2030, and to conjure up the spectre of a Labor electricity…
Michelle Grattan speaks with infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese about the ALP national conference and then with immigration spokesman Richard Marles about boat turnbacks.
Bill Shorten has emerged from the ALP’s national conference looking more like an alternative prime minister than he did before.
After a fraught few days and a highly emotional debate at Labor’s national conference, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has secured the right to turn back asylum seeker boats if he becomes prime minister…
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