Political News
Treasurer Joe Hockey increases debt limit to $500 billion
MARK KENNY Treasurer Joe Hockey has responded to Australia's ballooning credit card bill by almost doubling the borrowing limit to half a trillion dollars.
John Howard warns Liberals frail Labor will rise again
MARK KENNY 3:42pm Bill Shorten's beleaguered Labor MPs should not despair at being banished to the electoral wilderness, says no lesser authority on Australian politics than Labor's arch-enemy, John Winston Howard.
Treasurer Joe Hockey announces debt limit to increase to $500 billion
JONATHAN SWAN 2:29pm The Abbott government will significantly increase the debt ceiling from $300 billion to $500 billion, with Treasurer Joe Hockey saying he wanted a higher limit to prevent a situation like in the United States where the government was brought to a near standstill.
Tony Abbott's sister hopes gay marriage survives PM's challenge
DANIEL HURST 11:53am Prime Minister Tony Abbott's sister says she hopes the ACT's same-sex marriage laws survive an impending High Court challenge by the Abbott government.
Clear link between climate change and bushfires: UN adviser warns Tony Abbott
JUDITH IRELAND A senior United Nations climate change official says there is ''absolutely'' a link between climate change and bushfires and has warned that the Coalition government will pay a high political and financial price for its decision to scrap carbon pricing.
Act on obesity crisis now: professor
DAN HARRISON The Abbott government must move beyond 'preaching personal responsibility' to effectively tackle Australia's obesity crisis, according to the former chairman of the Rudd government's preventive health taskforce.
Greg Hunt's plan bypasses Senate
MARK KENNY Tony Abbott's much-criticised ''direct action'' carbon abatement policy can be introduced without legislation, meaning it will not have to run the gauntlet of a hostile Senate, it has been revealed.
Japan keen to seal first trade deal with Tony Abbott
MARK KENNY Tony Abbott's hopes of signing a series of bilateral free trade agreements with some countries within a year may not be as unrealistic as first thought, with at least Japan privately keen to get the jump on its Asian competitors.
Clive Palmer accused of war of attrition over recounts
JUDITH IRELAND Palmer United Party scrutineers are challenging and rechallenging thousands of votes in the Queensland seat of Fairfax in what some commentators have suggested is a ''calculated abuse'' of the electoral process.
Abbott can act directly on carbon reduction policy
MARK KENNY Tony Abbott's much criticised Direct Action carbon abatement policy can be introduced without legislation, meaning it won't have to run the gauntlet of a hostile Senate, it has been revealed.
Cabinet to sign off on audit commission as Coalition goes after waste
MARK KENNY Federal cabinet will sign off on Tuesday on a commission of audit of all government spending, setting in train a process that will identify areas of duplication and waste and could lead to serious cuts in coming budgets.
Margaret River's 'traffic jams' draw Sydney MP John Alexander
Jonathan Swan, Lisa Visentin The tourist town of Yallingup, in Western Australia's Margaret River region, is better known for its wine than its traffic congestion. But it was the latter issue among others that appears to have drawn NSW MP John Alexander and a family member on a taxpayer-funded mission to the town.
Palmer challenges every second vote
JUDITH IRELAND Palmer United Party scrutineers are challenging and rechallenging thousands of votes in the Queensland seat of Fairfax in what some commentators have suggested is a calculated abuse of the electoral process.
Tycoon fancies bit part on Titanic II
Clive Palmer says movie-goers might catch a glimpse of him reclining in a deckchair in a new film set aboard the Titanic II.
Government backs Manus security
DAVID WROE The Abbott government plans to make no changes to security arrangements on Manus Island despite the violent clash between local security forces that nearly prompted an evacuation last week.
Tony Abbott's gay sister Christine Forster engaged
DAISY DUMAS The Prime Minister's sister, Christine Forster, is engaged to her long term partner, Virginia Edwards - but admits that with debate raging over same sex marriage, "It might be a long engagement."
'Electoral business' behind John Alexander's taxpayer trip to Margaret River
Jonathan Swan, Lisa Visentin The tourist town of Yallingup, in Western Australia's idyllic Margaret River region, is better known for its wine than its traffic congestion. But it was the latter issue among others that appear to have drawn the NSW MP John Alexander and a family member on a taxpayer-funded mission to the seaside town.
Militarisation warning for Antarctica as China and Iran show increasing interest
ANDREW DARBY Australian academics have pointed to dangers that Antarctic bases are for the first time being militarised, despite the continent officially being called a land of peace and science.
Scott Morrison defends calling asylum seekers 'illegal'
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says he is simply calling ''a spade a spade'' by directing public servants to refer to asylum seekers as ''illegal''.
Both sides claim credit for slowing boat arrivals
JUDITH IRELAND The race to claim credit for the drop in asylum seeker boat arrivals has begun, with both the Coalition and Labor insisting their approach is responsible for slowing the boats.
