Federal election 2010: The end of Paul Kelly's neo-liberal consensus
One day it would be interesting to research whether Paul Kelly was the first to proclaim the importance of the ‘narrative’ in Australian politics. Certainly, it’s been his leitmotif. And central to his two door-stopping tomes on recent political history [...]
Angela Shanahan's bizarre footnote to the Carr version of the Aarons thesis
Paul Norton has already written at length on Bob Carr’s interpretation of Mark Aarons’ supposed revelations of some leading ALP left figures holding dual membership in the Communist Party of Australia (a claim, it’s important to note, that is flatly [...]
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 [...]
Democratise or die: the future of the ALP
One of the ironies of the British election, as I noted at the time, was that a campaign and a result which seemed to portend an end to politics as usual brought forth a reactionary result – the coalescence of [...]
The RSPT, 'nationalisation' and hyperbole
Wayne Swan recently said that mining company executives were either lying or displaying their ignorance in their statements about the Resources Super Profits Tax, a comment which apparently horrified Kerry O’Brien: how could this be true of respected business leaders? [...]
Malcolm Fraser quits Liberal party
Former PM Malcolm Fraser has confirmed that he resigned from the Liberal party some time ago, apparently disgusted by Malcolm Turnbull’s overthrow and the hardline right wing policies the party has adopted over recent years. Elsewhere: Still Life With Cat. [...]
Giddens' requiem for New Labour
One of New Labour’s intellectual architects (or court theorists), Anthony Giddens, looks back on the New Labour ‘project’. His article in the New Statesman is a disappointing one, which doesn’t actually show much reflection or much awareness of the dissonances [...]
RSPT: Capital to go on strike?
A couple of snippets from today’s papers: MINING giant Rio Tinto has shelved plans to spend $11 billion expanding its massive iron ore operations in Western Australia because of the wave of uncertainty sparked by the Rudd government’s proposed tax [...]
What's the matter with Kevin Rudd?
Two articles in the two Fairfax metropolitan papers tell two very different stories about Labor’s backflip/clear the decks strategy. In the SMH, Lenore Taylor has been talking to Labor strategists. The target voters, it’s argued, are those in outer suburban [...]
Gordon Brown keeps the faith
LBJ used to tell a story about an old Southern Senator who, depressed by the repetitive politics of race baiting and populism, yearns to return to his state one last time to give a “good old Democratic speech”. Today, Gordon [...]
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