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 [...]
Malcolm off message or Malcolm in a muddle?
“Centre of attention” oppo leader Malcolm Turnbull wants to have his cake and eat it too. After making the Liberals feel all warm and fuzzy by declaring that the Coalition would oppose the stimulus package, now he’s offended that the [...]
Never get between Australians and a pile of money
THE Opposition will vote against the Government’s $42 billion financial stimulus package, Malcolm Turnbull says. “Someone has to stand up for fiscal discipline,” Mr Turnbull told the House of Representatives. “Someone has to stand up for levels of debt for [...]
"The times will suit me" or "The times they are a-changin"?
One thing that’s become very clear from the US election season is that there’s a distinct appeal in change and freshness (and yep, they’re empty cliches and let’s hope some substance fills them out). But we might have observed that [...]
Then… and now
I’m not sure if Quadrant is now under the editorship of Keith Windschuttle (whose 60s adventures are in the news today) or whether P.P. McGuiness is still in the chair. But their leader writer doesn’t appear to be such a [...]
Holiday reading
’tis the season to catch up on the reading that you don’t get the time or inclination to do during the rest of the year. I’ve certainly had a chance to plough through a few books. Judith Brett’s Quarterly Essay [...]
Education for all, not just the poor!
John Howard was right about something yesterday. We do know what he stands for. As Tony Wright observes in a punchy piece in The Age, he stands for middle class welfare – means testing apparently is “discriminatory” or something – [...]
Climate change issue comes alive – almost!
Lenore Taylor in the Weekend AFR reported that Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull had taken a submission to cabinet suggesting that Australia ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately. Government sources have told the Weekend AFR that Mr Turnbull argued the government would [...]
What about the West?
Kim Beazley gives his answer to the question “Will WA poll count?” If you see on the night that Labor’s share of the so-called two-party preferred vote is about 52 per cent, you will know it’s really on; much less [...]
Demystifying tracking polls
As I suggested it would on Monday, the Galaxy Poll of four Queensland marginals has done more to mystify and shape the media narrative than to enlighten. Witness stories like this one in the SMH which asserts that Labor needs [...]
General election thread
Well, are we bored now? Mr Lefty is. One way of looking at this campaign is that the only thing that would make it interesting would be the playing out on Sunday night of 1 or other of 2 of [...]
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