No limits in a political blood sport
Laura Tingle
Even the hardest of political souls was unnerved by the spectre of Craig Thomson addressing the House of Reps on Monday.
No one stays clean in a mud fight
Laura Tingle
The Peter Slipper story means the door has been opened for all sorts of personal mud to be thrown.
Inside story on the long goodbye
Laura Tingle
The mining industry sees anything it can do to enhance the stench around the government as fair game.
Dollar dictates focus on monetary policy
Laura Tingle
Our problems are the “patchwork” nature of our economy, and the main reason some industries are doing it tough is the high $A.
Power play not so down to earth
Laura Tingle
When people talk about “cost of living” as a political issue, they mean electricity prices, which have risen about 40 per cent since 2007.
This job can’t be one for the boys
Canberra observed
That federal parliament has a certain Alice in Wonderland quality this week is such an obvious observation.
How to win friends and bury hatchets
Laura Tingle
Not only has Labor put aside its divisions to endorse Bob Carr, it has determinedly set about wooing the small business sector.
Crossing the PM comes at great cost
Laura Tingle
Someone, or even several someones, will pay a high personal price today for this week’s ALP leadership ballot.
Do or die: Labor sets surplus in stone
Laura Tingle
Treasurer Wayne Swan went into the House of Reps at 10am yesterday to give Parliament an update on the global economy.
Abbott’s small government, big interventions
Laura Tingle
Labor’s woes may allow Tony Abbott to get away with positions that at times are nigh on unintelligible.
A good break makes for match fitness
Laura Tingle
Official Canberra returns from holidays on Monday, but that’s not to say our politicians and bureaucrats haven’t been working.
No tea and sympathy for hard-hit insurers
David Crowe
You might think that an industry reeling from a $4.9 billion loss would be able to call on a little sympathy in Canberra.
New politicians’ salary deal makes sense
Laura Tingle
Cleaning up politicians’ pay is one of the important things achieved in federal politics this year despite all the loathing and vitriol.
It’s not all gloom in Wayne’s world
Laura Tingle
Wayne Swan didn’t quite skip into the press conference on the national accounts. But it was close.
Budget squeeze down to rubbery revenue
Laura Tingle
Beyond the political warfare, there are important questions about the budget for both sides of politics to consider.
Now the Slipper’s on the other foot
Laura Tingle
In railing against the nomination of Peter Slipper for Speaker, Tony Abbott forgot to mention he also lost an MP and a vote in the House.
Gillard: from tatters to a purple patch
Laura Tingle
For a prime minister with a reputation for policy disasters, this week must have had an almost dreamlike quality.
Labor reads a lot into news about News
Laura Tingle
Whatever you do, a Labor insider said this week, don’t refer to Kim Williams as a member of Labor’s royal family.
Now debate starts on undoing it
Laura Tingle
Five solid years of talking about why it should be done, couldn’t be done, shouldn’t be done and why she couldn’t possibly do it have come to an end. It is done.
Labor own worst enemy in leader flap
Laura Tingle
Testosterone has reached saturation point in Parliament House as politicians who like to regard themselves as players talk of the killing season for political leaders.
