Government to launch 'efficiency study' into ABC, SBS
Jonathan Swan and Matthew Knott 5:57pm The Abbott government has launched an "efficiency study" into the ABC – a move that will exacerbate the already extraordinary pressure on the national broadcaster.
Latest political news
Cabinet rejects SPC Ardmona's bid for $25m
James Massola, Jonathan Swan, Judith Ireland, Georgia Wilkins 7:49pm SPC Ardmona's bid for $25 million in federal government assistance has been rejected by the federal cabinet.
Senate re-election 'costly': High Court
RICHARD WILLINGHAM 6:02pm The justice charged with ruling on the fate of the Western Australian Senate result says he is aware that calling a fresh election will be costly and politically difficult.
Military officials front asylum seeker inquiry
JONATHAN SWAN 2:30pm The Abbott government's secretive strategy to combat asylum seeker boats will come under its closest scrutiny yet, with a Senate inquiry convening on Friday to interrogate top military officials.
Stripping ABC of contract would be 'petty'
JONATHAN SWAN 11:18am Tanya Plibersek has defended the ABC against Tony Abbott's attacks and the speculated termination of the broadcaster's $223 million Australia Network contract.
Cricketer's citizenship 'borderline'
STATHI PAXINOS 10:24am The rushed process in giving Australian citizenship to promising cricketer Fawad Ahmed has been brought into question.
NBN Co limiting broadband choices: iiNet
MAHESH SHARMA iiNet has accused NBN Co of overstepping its bounds and thwarting innovation.
Crackdown on failed asylum seekers
Michael Gordon, Kirsty Needham 12:44pm Several hundred asylum seekers whose claims for refugee status were rejected are being returned to indefinite detention or prepared for imminent deportation under a crackdown by the Abbott government.
Abbott hardens attack on unions
James Massola The federal government and the business lobby have stepped up pressure on Labor and the Greens to pass laws to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Dutton pushes overhaul to cut 'waste'
DAN HARRISON Health Minister Peter Dutton says new figures showing an escalation in health spending demonstrate why the government must cut ''waste'' in health.
Nauru law allows deportation of Australian
MICHAEL GORDON The Nauru government has moved swiftly to deport a long-term resident after rushing through retrospective legislation to allow the removal of 'prohibited immigrants' without any right of appeal.
We're failing to protect the reef, activists claim
Tom Arup Australia is failing to meet United Nations' conditions to better protect the Great Barrier Reef and keep it off a list of world heritage sites deemed 'in danger', an assessment by environment groups has found.
Keating backs Victorian Labor leader
JOSH GORDON Former prime minister Paul Keating has dramatically entered the Victorian political fray, describing state opposition leader Daniel Andrews as a man of 'energy and pluck'.
Government turns back on $6 GP fee
Thomson's defence: fraud the wrong charge
Abbott swoops on union graft
Cosgrove to 'shine light' as Queens' man
Lib MP pleads for help for SPC
AEC states case for fresh WA Senate election
Asylum seeker children stressed: Senator
Government backs Toyota over conditions
Tony is his own man, says Howard
Seven years' jail for people smuggler Billu
Overseas soldiers' allowances to be cut
AusAid graduates offered other jobs
Disadvantaged kids left behind: report
Even test cricketers make mistakes: PM
Fischer tipped as 38th NSW governor
Nauru survives no-confidence vote
Detainee conditions 'worse than Jordan'
ACTU attacks ‘extreme' privatisation plans
'Golden window' on indigenous recognition
Mining boom peak spells danger
Private schools reap government funding
Brandis tries to keep Timor war crimes secret
Gonski school funding report back online
Hockey's department gets debt approval
No funds for El Nino tracking system
Nauru charges $6000 for business visa
Kokoda Track pledge 'failing'
Jobs figures looking good for lobbyists
Government approves wind farm review
Griffith byelection: Rudd no help to Labor
Navy examines staff links to racist group
Cuts hit Defence, welfare hardest
Counselling vouchers could lower divorce rate
Dairy industry pleads for help on emissions
Abbott attacks company tax avoidance
Comment & Analysis
Outburst sits uneasily with demoractic ideals
MICHAEL GORDON Opinion Tony Abbott's tirade against the ABC betrays a deeply flawed view of the role of the Australian media in general and the national broadcaster in particular. Worse still, it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
Royal Commission into unions a witchhunt
Ged Kearney Nearly two million Australians are directly represented by unions at work - but many millions more benefit from our robust and dynamic union movement.
A true hindsight of benefit
Peter Whiteford There are strong arguments for a comprehensive review of the welfare system.
History points to fractious future
John Warhurst Opinion History shows Labor and the Greens have a long way to go to achieve a harmonious relationship
Thomson day in court harks to Gillard
PAUL SHEEHAN On May 21, 2012, the former Labor MP Craig Thomson spoke in the Federal Parliament for one hour, delivering 8300 words before a packed chamber, press gallery and public gallery about why he was the victim of an elaborate set-up.
Australia Post eyes price rise
MALCOLM MAIDEN Australia Post wants to lift the price of stamps for only the fourth time in 22 years
New G-G likely to march to different drum
MARK KENNY Opinion It is tempting to see the appointment of Peter Cosgrove as a bit disappointing - as just the kind of line and length preferment one might expect from a similarly inclined conservative government.
The spin behind growing healthcare costs
ROSS GITTINS If you had a problem that required an operation and the doctor offered a procedure with a 90 per cent success rate or one with a 10 per cent failure rate, which would you pick?
Abbott should heed republic warning
ALAN STOKES Governor-General elect Peter Cosgrove said in 2009 it was entirely possible Australia would become a republic, but not as ''a set of fashion statements to meet some purist image of a perfect polity''.
Tinkering with apiritless Constitution no help
Justin Smith Adam Goodes has been named Australian of the Year. A pleasing choice. A top sportsman who showed cool courage when handling the racism of an overzealous young fan last year.
Bribery revelations will help Abbott's plans
JAMES MASSOLA Opinion Coalition hopes to reform industrial relations will be boosted as they target corruption in the union movement.
Are we ready to bungy jump up from pitfalls
PETER HARTCHER Britain's settlement in Australia nearly starved itself out of existence in its early years and only survived when the motherland sent emergency supplies. This is pretty odd when you think about it.
Nauru wrong over judiciary - so is Australia
GEORGE WILLIAMS The rule of law in Nauru lies in tatters. This is due to its government unilaterally and illegally stripping the judiciary of its most senior members. On January 19, the Nauruan government sacked magistrate Peter Law, and deported him back to Australia.
To move on, indigenous people must forgive
Nyunggai Warren Mundine A more mature, less racist Australia can have true reconciliation. But it will take work.
Labor must use opposition to reform itself
Peter Reith The political parties are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not. The Labor Party is intent on stopping the Coalition from cleaning up the mess it left.
Indonesia's military pretence a hypocrisy
PAUL SHEEHAN 'Kiss me, Ketut'' is a popular phrase in my household. It's one of the most popular phrases to come out of advertising in a long time. Dripping with affectionate irony.
Australia Day needs to encompass all history
Mick Dodson I remain of the belief, five years after I spoke up as Australian of the Year, that we must have the conversation about the date of Australia Day.
Advance Australia fair? Maybe not
CLANCY YEATES Lots of national myths get bandied about on Australia Day, and a common one is that we are a fairly classless society.
Paid parental leave: a most difficult pregnancy
ANNE SUMMERS If you thought the politics of the paid parental leave scheme were complicated, just wait until you get to the policy itself.
No joke, navy captains' intent a critical issue
DANIEL FLITTON There is a wry joke about submarines, that only the navy would build a ship designed to sink.
Women in power stymied by gender bias
LESLIE CANNOLD This weekend marks six months since Julia Gillard stepped down from the highest office in the land. With International Women's Day on the horizon, it is timely to reflect on Gillard's rise and fall.
Special features
Another top union official forced out
Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker Another Victorian building union official has been forced out over corruption concerns at a state government site, as his state secretary, John Setka, on Wednesday night rejected an allegation that he received free work on his home.
Abbott slams the ABC
Prime Minister Tony Abbott tells Ray Hadley on 2GB radio that the national broadcaster takes "everyone's side but Australia's".
The well-known soldier
Tony Wright Peter Cosgrove may be Australia's best-known military man, but he's long veered clear of politically charged bullets, and is not about to change.
Peter Cosgrove next Governor-General
Former Defence Force Chief General Peter Cosgrove will be Australia's next Governor-General, saying he wants to 'shed light, not generate heat.'
Threat to kill union whistleblower
Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker and James Massola A building union stalwart says he received death threats after trying to stop his union's dealings with a Sydney crime figure.
Abbott considers Royal Commission
The Prime Minister may expand a promised judicial inquiry into a full Royal Commission examining union corruption in the building industry.
CFMEU deny corruption allegations
The CFMEU says any members caught doing the wrong thing will be forced out following allegations of corruption and bribery.
Salvation Army abuse at 'severe end' of scale
Paul Bibby Raymond Carlile's little brother was so hungry he had started eating grass.
Morrison speaks ... and shoots messenger
Jonathan Holmes Claims of ill-treatment of asylum seekers by Australian navy personnel has led to another round of ABC bashing.
Shorten off to Europe on first official visit
Mark Kenny Bill Shorten was due to arrive in Europe overnight for a week-long series of briefings with senior officials and political figures.
Counselling is welfare, and it works
Jenna Price Let's not reject relationship counselling just because it's a suggestion of this government.
Australian mongrel
Blog A riff on what it means to be Australian by animator Roco Fazzari.
Investigating MPs' expenses
Fairfax Media has conducted an extensive investigation on MPs claiming expense entitlements. Read our coverage here.
Political pics of the year
Three Prime Minister, two leadership ballots and an election campaign for 2013. The best photos from a tumultuous year.
The meltdown: How Labor self-destructed
Together, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard had the support of the nation and the party. Divided, their feud would be the undoing of a government. An investigation by Peter Hartcher.
Cartoon Gallery
Home of the best cartoons by our resident artists from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.
