Columnists
Peter Hartcher
Keen to serve, just not now
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Opinion At least one of Labor's next generation of leaders isn't shy about his ambitions, but no one wants the top job - yet.
Michelle Grattan
A disaster waiting to happen
![michelle-grattan](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917949/michelle-grattan-60x60.jpg)
Opinion The legal danger in Labor's much-vaunted Malaysia solution should have been sniffed and better judgments made.
Lenore Taylor
Talk's cheap but manufacturers want solutions
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Opinion POLITICIANS talk big about helping crisis-stricken manufacturers, but they can do relatively little, unless they are prepared to either contravene Australia's international trade obligations or spend a shed load of money.
Katharine Murphy
Labor's choice has MPs green around the gills
![katherine-murphy](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917831/katherine-murphy-60x60.jpg)
1:22pm Opinion It's been a strange old 48 hours, even by the standards of recent history.
Sean Nicholls
Magic budget: not everything will be on show
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Opinion With all eyes on Tuesday's state budget, the Treasurer, Mike Baird, and the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, have been using every opportunity to warn they will be doling out some tough love.
Ross Gittins
Invest in children of knowledge revolution
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Opinion It's annoying the way business people keep slipping the words ''going forward'' into almost every sentence and it was even worse when Julia Gillard kept repeating the slogan ''moving forward'' in the last election campaign. But I have to admit they've got the right idea: we do need to keep our minds focused on the future and what we need to do to secure it.
Jessica Irvine
Not just kinder, also a cheaper solution
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Opinion Wouldn't it just be easier, and cheaper, to process them here? As a desperate Gillard government scans the Pacific for a suitably desolate island on which to stash asylum seekers, it is time to ask: is this the most cost effective use of taxpayer money?
Paul Sheehan
The lack of real edge makes for a dull Razor
![Paul Sheehan](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2011/02/16/2187357/Sheehan-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Sex, in the wrong hands, can be dull. Nakedness can be a bore. Even the combination of sex and violence can be tedious to watch. Which is why 800,000 Australians tuned out of the con job on Channel Nine known as Underbelly: Razor after the first week. It is not enough to parade scantily clad women and rugged men. There has to be an emotional connection. Razor doesn't deliver one.
Shaun Carney
A return to Rudd looms as Gillard's leadership collapses
![shaun-carney](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918018/shaun-carney-60x60.jpg)
Opinion There is only one possible contender to replace the Prime Minister and that is Kevin Rudd.
Phillip Coorey
Gillard will feel the blow the most
![phil-coorey](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/20/1936947/phil-coorey2-60x60.jpg)
Opinion THE High Court decision that put the Malaysia plan to the sword is especially damaging for Julia Gillard because she began the push for a regional solution to the people smuggling problem.
Geoff Gallop
Do our politicians disagree too much?
![geoff-gallop](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917808/geoff-gallop-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Adversarial politics: why the public isn't buying it.
Mike Carlton
Agog at latest card-carrying contortions
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Opinion Success brings its own rewards. Here at the Mike Carlton column, we understand that your success demands a level of service and luxury beyond normal expectations.
Daniel Flitton
There are no winners, not even the asylum seekers
![dan-flitton](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917787/dan-flitton-60x60.jpg)
Opinion The relationship with Malaysia is in the toilet, the Gillard government looks foolish.
Cynthia Banham
For the whole truth about Hicks, look neither left nor right
![cynthia-banham](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917786/cynthia-banham-60x60.jpg)
Opinion It's terror season on television. With the 10th anniversary of September 11 upon us, we are being presented with a spectrum of viewpoints about that "epoch-changing" event.
Paul Austin
The figures point to electoral wilderness for Victorian Labor
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Opinion The ALP has suffered a bad defeat but the worst might be yet to come.
Paola Totaro
Berlusconi finds his number is up
![paola-totaro](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917951/paola-totaro-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Italians shake off their legendary apathy to leave their leader on shaky ground.
Paul Daley
He who lives by the sword
![paul-daley](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/20/1936818/paul-daley2-60x60.jpg)
Opinion IT SURE ain't pretty. In fact, it's ugly as hell. But boy, it's effective.
Tony Wright
There's a sad-but-true link between tales of old Tom, bold Ned and a modern farce
![tony-wright](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918051/tony-wright-60x60.jpg)
Opinion The only way to get to Tom Mitchell's story about Ned Kelly is to ramble the long way around.
Andrew Darby
Whaling's knockout throw for Japan
![andrew-darby](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917779/andrew-darby-60x60.jpg)
Opinion It takes a lot of grunt to throw a sumo wrestler, but in the end what counts is that extra ounce.
Kenneth Davidson
Desalination plant's quality hard to swallow
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Opinion Wonthaggi's boron levels would make the contract dead in the water.
Tim Colebatch
Do we need industry when we have a mining boom?
![tim-colebatch](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918049/tim-colebatch-60x60.jpg)
Opinion The drastic cuts at BlueScope Steel raise two key questions.
Danny Katz
In search of a cause to commit to
![danny-katz](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917805/danny-katz-60x60.jpg)
Opinion I want to be a good man, to help the world, but I need to make sure I choose the right cause.
Melissa Fyfe
Memo Mr Baillieu: you're not in favour of discrimination
![melissa-fyfe](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917841/melissa-fyfe-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Victoria's premier has chosen an odd way to show off his progressive credentials, writes Melissa Fyfe.
Chris Berg
Forget compassion - our better angels aren't listening
![chris-berg](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917785/chris-berg-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Silly rhetoric means the refugee lobby is shooting itself in the foot.
Charles Waterstreet
Pure gold to the naked eye
![charles-waterstreet](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917784/charles-waterstreet-60x60.jpg)
Opinion IN A shrinking economy, one show that hasn't skimped on the costume budget is Miss Nude Sydney 2011.
Geoff Strong
To tap into tourism's money tree, let's take a leaf out of Kev's book
![geoff-strong](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/20/1936817/geoff-strong2-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Imagine selling Australian-manufactured products to the Chinese.
Elizabeth Farrelly
Keeping quiet allows intolerance to thrive
![elizabeth-farrelly](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917807/elizabeth-farrelly-60x60.jpg)
Opinion I was shocked to attend my first bar mitzvah in Sydney's eastern suburbs and find the room formally segregated by gender, with potted monstera thicket between. Many of the Jewish women around me were also surprised but, finding the service mainly in Hebrew and directed male-wards, settled down with a collective shrug to chatter through till food time.
Richard Ackland
Plenty of activity, if not activism, coming from High Court justices
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Opinion Will we start to hear the present High Court being denounced as ''activist''? After Wednesday's drowning of the ''Malaysian solution'', you'd think a fresh burst of ''j'accuse'' from the darker recesses of the commentariat or blogosphere can't be too far off.
Josh Gordon
Noble sentiments count for nothing if they're not backed up
![josh-gordon](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917830/josh-gordon-60x60.jpg)
Opinion If the electorate loses faith, the death knock isn't far away.
Tanveer Ahmed
We're all slaves to the market now
![tanveer-ahmed](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918021/tanveer-ahmed-60x60.jpg)
Opinion As markets plunged amid predictions of a financial crisis mark two, I had a rare moment of worry about my superannuation, even though I can't touch it for three decades.
Hamish McDonald
A testing time for India - and Australia
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Opinion Old Silver was in fine form this week - sparks of the old fire when Bob Hawke took the mike to talk about his friend Rajiv Gandhi.
Jason Koutsoukis
Jubilation fills the streets as the people get their wish
![jason-koutsoukis](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917814/jason-koutsoukis-60x60.jpg)
Opinion A PHONE call, a shout. In Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the Egyptian revolution, the news came bursting out of momentarily disbelieving mouths.
Adele Horin
Spare the rod on child protection
![adele-horin](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918091/adele-horin-60x60.jpg)
Opinion W hen a child dies in suspicious circumstances, as two-year-old Tanilla Warrick-Deaves did last Saturday on the central coast, it is always troubling, especially when it turns out the family has a long history with child protection authorities.
George Williams
While the guilt is not certain, the damage is beyond doubt
![george-williams](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917810/george-williams-60x60.jpg)
Opinion The only definite in the Thomson affair is that it will be a drawn-out one.
Richard Glover
Technology? Hah! Try finding buried treasure using your GPS
![richard-glover](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918014/richard-glover-60x60.jpg)
Opinion We're near Nowra, driving down the Princes Highway, when we see a sign to the right.
Gerard Henderson
Literary festivals and prizes champion politics over quality
![gerard-henderson](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917811/gerard-henderson-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Premiers come and premiers go. But premiers' literary prizes, like state government-funded writers' festivals, do not change much at all.
Peter Costello
Without a carbon tax, steel industry jobs might stand a chance
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Opinion The high Australian dollar does not affect our mineral exporters, because their prices are booming in whatever currency you choose. But it makes life tough for manufacturing exporters - as shown by last week's decision by the steel manufacturer BlueScope to cut 1000 jobs and close a blast furnace.
Rick Feneley
Games guests can expect a monsoon wedding
![rick-feneley](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918015/rick-feneley-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Eight sleeps till the opening ceremony, so this is no time for us to gloat. We should focus, with humility, not on what distinguishes Australia from India but on the qualities we share.
Heath Aston
Ministers, your slips are showing
![heath-aston](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/20/1936816/heath-aston2-60x60.jpg)
Opinion BARRY O'FARRELL should buy Craig Thomson a beer.
David Rood
Baillieu's singin' in the rain
![david-rood](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1917806/david-rood-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Ted Baillieu shares an obsession with his predecessor as Premier, John Brumby — the weather. Both are (and were) known to keep a fastidious eye on the rain radars. And in his almost 10 months as Premier, Baillieu has been bloody lucky it has rained.
Leslie Cannold
Don't let disability scheme be yesterday's news
![Leslie Cannold](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/28/1952752/LeslieCannold-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Just more than two weeks ago, the Australian government announced its commitment to introducing a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Simon Mann
Massive boost for ailing Obama
![simon-mann](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2010/09/10/1918019/simon-mann-60x60.jpg)
Opinion Barack Obama's stunning late-night revelation that America had finally got its man makes for a profound moment in his presidency.
Heckler
A tip for Father's Day: give him a hug
![The Heckler](http://web.archive.org./web/20110902141736im_/http://images.nationaltimes.com.au/2009/09/07/717675/the-heckler-127x127-60x60.jpg)
Opinion DON'T you just hate being stereotyped? Father's Day is coming up and all of a sudden my letterbox is full of flyers and brochures for blokey stuff. Apparently, all dads want fancy new stainless-steel six-burner barbecues, cordless electric drills, GPS navigation, 50-inch LED LCD 1080 HD TVs and Top Gear DVDs.