Is Wilkie key to the end game?
Over at Club Troppo, James Farrell thinks that Andrew Wilkie may be the key to the resolution of the negotiations over who will form government. I’m not so sure. I suspect Wilkie will end up supporting neither side. Whether or [...]
Welcome Julia Gillard but don’t forget to farewell Kevin Rudd
I admire Julia Gillard and always have. Those who’ve been around here for a long time, and have long memories, might recall that I was backing Gillard enthusiastically when Kim Beazley’s leadership was on its last legs. I welcome and [...]
The Greens as a social democratic and left party?
In a lot of the discussion here and elsewhere about the drift of ALP voters to The Greens, there’s an assumption that The Greens represent a purer left alternative to Labor. That assumption might be a tad simplistic, if Tad [...]
Ethics in NSW schools
Andrew Clennell in today’s Sydney Morning Herald points us to an interesting trial mooted by NSW Premier, Nathan Rees. Ethics classes will be introduced in NSW schools, offering an alternative to religious studies for the first time in 100 years, [...]
On Movember, Tim Soutphommasane and civics
A while back I wrote – in rather skeptical vein – about Tim Soutphommasane’s claim that progressives should be reclaiming patriotism. Guy Rundle has now reviewed Soutphommasane’s book, Reclaiming Patriotism: nation building for Australian progressives, for Crikey (of which more [...]
Ben Naparstek, The Monthly and the Julia Gillard "biography wars"
A truly bizarre editorial decision from Ben Naparstek, who occupies the chair at The Monthly, has resulted in the publication of a review of Jacqueline Kent’s biography of Julia Gillard by Christine Wallace, who is writing a rival biography of [...]
Social media etiquette
Bizarrely, I found “highly evolved human” Brad Pitt’s tips for social media etiquette in Wired somewhat persuasive.
Rudd and Gillard attack News Limited, Hartigan punches back
Crikey‘s editorial today (reproduced over the fold with permission) picked up on the political significance of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard’s critical remarks about the conduct of News Limited papers in publishing the concocted email at the centre of the [...]
Utegate and political legitimacy
As Tobias Ziegler observes at Pure Poison, there’s a certain irony in David Penberthy’s observation at The Punch that “Utegate” has been a diversion from issues far more important to the public and to the future of our Commonwealth. Nevertheless, [...]
Defamation for bloggers
Folks might recall some discussion about the law of defamation when the spurious photos alleged wrongly to be of Pauline Hanson were published during the Queensland election campaign. As promised, Legal Eagle and Skepticlawyer have put together a guide to [...]
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