Why process is important: Another perspective on parliamentary and donations reform
One of the most interesting aspects of the agreement between The Greens and the ALP is the way in which it promises to put flesh on the bones of parliamentary reform. A number of clauses envisage combined committees of parliamentarians [...]
The Great Health Debate
Today’s Question Time saw some interesting tactics from the government; suspending standing orders to allow Tony Abbott to talk about health and hospitals policy. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who saw the debate, but from what I heard [...]
So, how about that hospitals plan?
Tony Abbott’s performance in question time today, and the timing of his parental leave thought bubble more generally, suggest that his major imperative was to switch the topic of debate from health. That’s despite the Coalition running a very active [...]
It would give people something to talk about on Twitter?
Years ago, many political scientists in the US used to critique their rather free flowing party system for not offering voters a definite programmatic contest. In post-war normative democratic theory, parties were seen as able to organise and coalesce a [...]
Question time: The classical philosophy edition
Parliament goes into recess next week, after a sitting whose most prominent contribution to political discussion was the unruliness of question time (aside, of course, from the usual shenanigans of opposition disunity, which are now customary). Writing in Crikey yesterday, [...]
The Liberals' two hour strategy
In discussing Joe Hockey’s latest musings on the need for tens of billions of dollars of spending cuts yesterday, I wondered whether the Libs had conceded the next election, and were trying to position themselves for the one after. I [...]
Labor's game plan for Malcolm Turnbull
Tony Abbott trotted out the line on Q&A tonight that the ALP is scared of Malcolm Turnbull, hence the attack on him. This meme – which I think originated with the claims that the government were trembling in their collective [...]
Bursting the Costello balloon
In the wake of the punditariat’s latest game of deconstructing each parliamentary interjection by The Great Pretender and wistfully wishing his incoherent comedy lines on the public, it’s worth taking a step back and asking whether – even if you [...]
So how about that media narrative now?
By Mark Bahnisch on June 16, 2010
Over the long weekend, I noted the frenzy The Australian was stirring up about the purported deadline on Rudd’s leadership, built on a foundation of a self-serving article from mining company director Keith De Lacy and quotes from NSW Right [...]
Posted in Federal Elections, Media, Politics, Polls | Tagged ALP, caucus, Coalition, commentariat, Dennis Shanahan, Federal Election 2010, journalism, keith de lacy, Kevin Rudd, Labor, leadership, Media, media narrative, Miners, mining industry, news, Newspoll, NSW Right, parliament, Peter Van Onselen, political communication, Polls, press gallery, public opinion, question time, rspt, Television, The Australian, Tony Abbott, TV | 131 Responses