Those around Tony Abbott will be heartened by aspects of the latest Newspoll and Essential. It’s a mixed picture and the bottom line is that Labor leads on a two-party basis in both. But the Coalition’s…
- Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the Australian media’s lack of interest in how other countries tackle the big policy challenges that are faced here. “The Australian media rarely…
Australia and the United States have agreed to take the issue of foreign fighters to the United Nations, as ASIO chief David Irvine today outlined an increasing local threat from Islamist extremists. After…
Defence Minister David Johnston has said Australia is “not ruling out providing some back-up assistance” to American military action against insurgents in Iraq. Johnston today went further than Prime Minister…
Clive Palmer says he’s due to meet Treasurer Joe Hockey for dinner in Brisbane this week, but ahead of the talks the leader of the Palmer United Party is offering little joy to the Treasurer over his embattled…
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is a lot more open than it used to be – it even has PR people – but it was still remarkable to see ASIO head David Irvine on Friday in the PM’s press conference…
University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Stephen Parker and Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan discuss the week in politics including Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the mandatory metadata retention…
Proper “process” might sound like bureaucratic jargon but a prime minister ignores it at his or her peril. Applied to cabinet, it includes making sure ministers have all the facts. Importantly, it requires…
If there is one member of cabinet who understands the ins and outs of metadata, it’s Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Yet Turnbull has so far been nowhere to be heard as the government tries to…
It can be cast as cutting and running, or a belated burst of much needed pragmatism. Tony Abbott’s ditching of his ill-conceived attempt to water down the Racial Discrimination Act gets a weight off his…
The government has dropped its planned weakening of the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) as it announces a tough set of anti-terrorism measures that will cost $630 million over four years. Prime Minister…
One of Tony Abbott’s best and boldest election promises was for a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the Australian Constitution. That’s a promise he won’t want to break. Yet, as time goes on…
The travails of Tony Abbott’s paid parental leave scheme are symptomatic of the government’s wider problems. The Prime Minister says he won’t abandon the plan, adding that he doesn’t break promises. That’s…
Lawyers for the 157 Tamil asylum seekers now transferred to Nauru say that while being held at sea the people were told they would be put into orange lifeboats bound for India. The Human Rights Law Centre…
Immigration department secretary Martin Bowles has said his department was seeking advice about new data on the mental health problems of children in detention, not trying to cover it up. Bowles was responding…
Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Research Frances Shannon discuss the week in politics including the inquiry into asylum seeker children in detention…
Two characteristics of this government are that it regularly overreaches and that where possible it shies away from transparency and accountability. Very different issues in the news this week highlight…
As the United States and the Europeans impose fresh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, the Abbott government is notably out of step. The Prime Minister is not ruling out further measures later – Australia…
Immigration minister Scott Morrison should cease to be the legal guardian of unaccompanied asylum seeker and refugee children, a church-sponsored report has urged. Instead, an independent guardian should…
Polls out this week are showing Tony Abbott has got a lot of credit for his strong early response to the MH17 disaster. But he now faces the challenge of managing the expectations of what can be done…
As books by or about present and former politicians rain down, Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh, a one-time academic, has produced something for the superior trivia night. The shadow assistant treasurer…
Former Speaker Peter Slipper has been found guilty of dishonestly misusing his parliamentary entitlements in charging the taxpayer for travel to various wineries around Canberra. Slipper took three trips…
The Business Council of Australia has called on government to adopt a sector-based approach to promote growth and innovation, and will ask big companies to second bureaucrats to help close the gap “between…
Bill Shorten’s reference to party reform was once-over-lightly when he addressed the NSW ALP conference on Sunday. Shorten said Labor had to “rebuild as a party of members, not factions”. Members had to…
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has been forced to capitulate and agree to bring to Australia the 157 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers who have been held in a Customs vessel on the high seas for weeks…
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