Craig Thomson finally left speechless
JACQUELINE MALEY You can say many varied and wonderful things about Craig Thomson. But you can't say he doesn't know how to make a speech.
NSW Coalition's row over Goulburn likely to bring out some big guns
SEAN NICHOLLS The eruption of hostilities between the Liberals and Nationals over the state seat of Goulburn has again exposed the long-simmering tensions between the Coalition partners.
In Kiev, it is state-sanctioned murder
David Blair In the capital Kiev, protesters are picked off in the street by police marksmen.
Tony Abbott's promised treat no red letter day
ANNE SUMMERS We the people are being promised a treat by Tony Abbott. He has informed us that during the March sitting of federal parliament he will "dedicate a day to repealing red tape".
School's in for digital learning
AMY MCNEILAGE Are iPads a recipe for mass distraction or an essential tool?
Plain sailing, but heads will roll
MIKE CARLTON Amazing scenes! This will surprise or disappoint many people, but Scott Morrison is actually telling the truth about the navy and customs incursions into Indonesian territorial waters.
FEBRUARY 22
Workplace laws: put MPs under industrial spotlight
Indeed, let's go the whole hog, and have a ''sweeping review'' (''Major review of workplace laws to stir union angst'', February 21), of the industrial relations landscape in Australia that includes why politicians' working conditions remain external to all legislation affecting all employees and employers.
G20: Joe Hockey finetunes his global vision before Sydney meeting
MATT WADE Opinion Jobs and growth are at the top of the Treasurer's agenda for the G20, writes Matt Wade.
G20 must crack down on global tax avoidance
Finance ministers and central bankers from the G20 grouping of nations gather in Sydney this weekend at a critical juncture for the world's economy.
Abbott and Nash: PM blinded by tribal loyalty
PETER HARTCHER Opinion Tony Abbott lambasted Labor for inappropriate loyalty when defending the indefensible. Now he is doing it.
Climate change sceptic Dick Warburton's new role adds to renewable energy uncertainty
PETER HANNAM A new government appointment has the clean energy industry fearing for the future of the green energy target, writes Peter Hannam.
Fiona Nash and lobbyist Alastair Furnival prompt food for thought
AMY CORDEROY The deletion of a health website raises questions about the influence of the food industry lobby, writes Amy Corderoy.
Eddie Obeid water inquiry seeps to all political corners
Michaela Whitbourn When the Obeid family banked $5 million from a suspect coal deal, they had another business venture in their sights: an infrastructure company called Australian Water Holdings.
ICAC finds links between Chris Hartcher and Eddie Obeid
SEAN NICHOLLS As the corruption watchdog investigates Chris Hartcher, connections emerge between the O'Farrell government and Eddie Obeid, writes Sean Nicholls.
Twitter opens a new world of abuse aimed at women
JULIA BAIRD Van Badham is the kind of woman who could lay claim to the title virago: a strong-minded, bold, funny writer who penned her first play when she was in second grade. When not crafting novels and columns, she frequently fences on Twitter, often arguing about politics and gender. Over the eight months her father spent slowly dying of cancer, she shared details of his illness - because he was so intrinsic to her life, she says, that most who knew her knew him: "He was my best friend, I was an only child, we even look alike."
Dr David Chessor: A country practice
Mark Dapin This GP loves his job and can also knit a mean pullover.
Barry O'Farrell out to avoid electoral shock from poles and wires
SEAN NICHOLLS When Barry O'Farrell and the NSW opposition voted against Labor's attempt to sell the state's electricity assets in 2008, they were pilloried. To many the decision flew in the face of the basic Liberal philosophy that the state has no place running these types of businesses.
Schapelle Corby and Rachelle Louise have very different stories to tell
JACQUELINE MALEY When Rachelle Louise, the highly groomed, frozen-faced girlfriend of convicted killer Simon Gittany spoke to Channel Seven last Sunday, she described the moment when her boyfriend's guilty verdict was announced.
Tony Abbott Opposition leader bites Tony Abbott PM
MIKE CARLTON 'Any government which makes it harder to manufacture cars is making it harder for us to continue to be a first world economy because without cars, without steel, without aluminium, without cement, we don't have these manufacturers in Australia, we are not really a sophisticated economy any more.''
Privatisation with safeguards a wise course
Treasurer Joe Hockey makes a compelling case for privatisation of $130 billion or more in federal but mostly state-owned assets to free funds for infrastructure projects. This ''recycling'' of businesses, roads, rail, utilities and land will be central to what Mr Hockey promises to be a ''growth'' budget in May.
Climate change: Opinions are affected by the weather
PETER HANNAM Most believe weather patterns are changing but there's confusion on why.
Science
Chelyabinsk meteorite is scientists' delight
Fragments of a meteorite reveal insights to the risks a rogue rock may pose to Earth.
Christopher Pyne and Adrian Piccoli butt heads over education
Matthew Knott and Amy McNeilage They're notionally on the same side but Adrian Piccoli and Christopher Pyne keep butting heads.
Child bride? No, these secret marriages are child abuse
EMMA PARTRIDGE Cases like that of the 12-year-old married to an adult male are all too common.
Joe's not for turning either
PETER HARTCHER Opinion The Treasurer is taking inspiration from the best work of his reformist predecessors of the past 30 years.
G20: Joe Hockey will need to steer with a firm hand
MATT WADE Australia's leadership of the world economic body faces its first major test next week.
When dimples turn to wrinkles the chequebook slams shut on child stars
MICHAEL IDATO Working conditions for child stars have barely changed since Hollywood first discovered the earning power of pint-sized actors.
China's military is on the march and Canberra must take note
DAVID WROE A muscled-up Chinese military is going where it wants when it wants and defence planners should take note.
Treasurer Joe Hockey has a mountain to climb in managing the Australian economy
James Massola, Peter Martin Treasurer Joe Hockey warns tough choices are needed in the pursuit of economic reform. But there are exceptions, write James Massola and Peter Martin.
The ugly side to zoos' breeding programs
HEATH GILMORE The killing of a healthy giraffe has sparked public outrage.
FEBRUARY 15
Get rid of Joyce - he caused a disaster
Why give the same Qantas management a government debt guarantee (''Grudging aid for Qantas the 'least worst option' '' and ''Qantas deserves supportive wind beneath its wings'', February 14)? The Qantas board and CEO Joyce have thrown good money after bad on Jetstar Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and thrown more cash and new planes at Jetstar Domestic and International to cannibalise Qantas. Qantas International, once a worldwide iconic brand, was shut down without notice by the same CEO who now wants government aid.
A tale of two paid interviews: Schapelle Corby and Rachelle Louise
JACQUELINE MALEY Schapelle and Rachelle both want to tell-all on TV but only one is worth tuning in to.
Israel fights back as boycott movement gains strength
RUTH POLLARD The story of an actress and a drinks company highlights a growing movement against settlements.
Barry O'Farrell eyes a chance to give cabinet a makeover
SEAN NICHOLLS As the milestone of one year until the next state election looms late next month, anticipation is peaking on the NSW government backbench at the prospect of a cabinet reshuffle soon after.
Paul Howes: Tactics versus compact - The art of union warfare
JACQUELINE MALEY Opinion I've always thought The Art of War, the ancient Chinese treatise on military tactics, was a book primarily read by corporate psychopaths. Or at least that it was a book bought for such men by their wives, so they could feature it prominently on their bookshelves.
What follows fame?
ANNE DAVIES How do people who live their lives in the public eye adjust to life beyond the peak? Four well-known Australians talk about their experiences of life after the limelight.
Live on, Dad - but please go soon
Wendy Harmer "Death is nothing to be feared, Mr Brown," said the smooth-faced surgeon from the other side of the desk.
Truth of the sizzle revealed as actors kiss and tell
How much of those torrid scenes is acting? If hormones intrude, what's the form? Rupert Christiansen queries the experts.
Byelection will serve as national litmus test
Australia under the Abbott government in 2014 is rapidly taking shape as a very different place than it was five months ago.
Still killing the ABC: it's the ghost of BA Santamaria
MIKE CARLTON There is a wonderful video doing the rounds on Twitter showing the late and unlamented B.A. Santamaria ranting about the evils of the ABC.
Nightmare on George Street worth the fuss
Despite the pain that will accompany the tram project in central Sydney, many are backing the proposed overhaul, write Jacob Saulwick and James Robertson
Tech
Cracking the cryptic world of bitcoin and virtual currencies
STEPHEN HUTCHEON Bitcoin and its many online imitators have the power to revolutionise global currency, yet relatively few of us know what it is or how it works.
Ross Gittins on a super '70s flashback, and today's (economic) greatest hits
ROSS GITTINS Forty years ago Ross Gittins arrived at Fairfax and began economy-watching. A lot has changed since then - and mostly for the better, although not always.
A bicycle built for two
PETER HARTCHER Opinion Labor is likely to ride to victory over a strong Coalition candidate once again in the Queensland seat of Griffith.
Tim Flannery: a man for all climates
Mark Dapin Co-founder of the Climate Council isn't afraid to let out his inner lab rat
Abbott at the helm: PM relaxed despite a rough six months
MICHAEL GORDON It's been a rough first six months and there are few signs of it getting better soon, but the Prime Minister is relaxed.
Shifting the weight
The Treasurer is doing the heavy lifting and has signalled there is no capacity for excess baggage, write Tom Allard and Deborah Snow.
Anthony Ackroyd: Stand clear, funny man posing but he has the last laugh
Anthony Ackroyd Humour - and specifically political satire - wins votes.
SMH
It's about parkland for all, not just a few
Nearly two decades ago, communities came together to oppose the sell-off of Defence land in a legendary ''Battle for Sydney Harbour''. The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust resulted from this clamour. The original vision of the community - ''a world-class national park for all Australians'' - has been achieved. Elizabeth Farrelly (''Let Mosmanites fight for Peat Island'', February 6) is right to applaud the trust and its executive Geoff Bailey.
