Greens
We're back in town
Sarah Hanson-Young We politicians are back in Canberra this morning after a five-week winter recess. It sounds like a long break, but federal politicians work seven days a week, so it passed by in a flash. As a mother .
The Greens - ignore at one's peril
Lindsay Tanner Remember the republicans who campaigned for a ‘No’ vote in the 1999 Republic referendum? They wanted a directly elected president and they promised a vigorous campaign for a “real republic” ...
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Rocco Fazzari It really doesn’t seem that Julia Gillard and co can get anything right, and anything that can go wrong will.
Rights of children should be above politics
Sarah Hanson-Young Yesterday the High Court extended an injunction to hear a legal challenge to the Malaysian people-swap deal. The full bench of the court in Canberra will now sit on August 22. The Greens maintain ...
Let conscience rule on gay marriage
Sarah Hanson-Young It's been a bit of a Bizzaro World in Australian federal politics in recent weeks. First we had the opposition saying they were concerned about the human rights of vulnerable people who will be ...
Government abandons principles over Malaysia deal
Sarah Hanson-Young Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has visited Kuala Lumpur to sign the Malaysian solution and now he and Prime Minister Julia Gillard are promoting it.
Coal, carbon and contradictions
Julie Bishop Labor's chief carbon tax spruiker is faced with an acute dilemma. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has spent the past five months, since breaking her promise not to introduce a carbon tax, attacking the .
Save and expand foreign aid
Sarah Hanson-Young This month the world is learning about the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, where about 12 million people have been hit by the worst drought in almost 60 years. Australia has pledged more than ..
With new role comes greater responsibility
Sarah Hanson-Young Yesterday was a great day for the Greens. Our team in the Federal Parliament went from six to 10 with Governor-General Quentin Bryce presiding over the swearing-in of 12 senators from around the...
Green Gain Labor Pain
Rocco Fazzari
Seasoned political observers tell us that the rise of the Greens comes at the expense of the major parties, most critically — we keep being reminded — Labor.So who needs who?
Why this is better than Rudd's scheme
Sarah Hanson-Young There are more than 13 billion reasons why the climate package unveiled on Sunday is better at putting a price on pollution than its predecessor.
New York spreads marriage equality news
Sarah Hanson-Young The colour and excitement of celebrations in New York at the weekend have been shown on TVs and in newspapers worldwide. People of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and even religions danced in ..
Don't export our humanity
Sarah Hanson-Young As we gear up for World Refugee Day next Monday, it's time to remind the Gillard government why it should not be exporting Australia's humanity to third countries.
Schools deserve their say on chaplains
Sarah Hanson-Young Last week the federal government's budget revealed the Education Department would spend another $222 million over four years on the
Rewriting history on climate change policy
Julie Bishop It was instructive to observe the reaction of the Greens yesterday to revelations that the Labor Government is being advised that a price on carbon of more than $40 per tonne would be needed to ...
Julia's afraid, Bob's brave, Tony's angry
Rocco Fazzari Peter Hartcher examines the characteristics of the three major parties in his ...
Temporary protection visas are not the answer
Sarah Hanson-Young I don't for a moment condone violence or the torching of buildings at detention centres. I am not interested in excusing the behaviour of those involved in recent weeks inside the Villawood or ...
It's time to stop demonising the weak who seek sanctuary in our country
Sarah Hanson-Young Proponents of stronger measures against asylum seekers should be aware of the responses they generate among some Australians.
How big is your mandate? And does size really matter?
Rocco Fazzari Does size matter? When it comes to political mandates it seems that it does — even small means big.
Dear PM, these are the issues dear to Australians
Sarah Hanson-Young There is a growing number of Australian mums, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters who are disillusioned with the Prime Minister's old, tired and unjustified objection to same-sex marriage.