2016 will be a defining moment for ending the tax rort
Heath Aston 8:41 PM Imagine the extra cream left in the jug of the household budget if we all paid an income tax rate of one cent in the dollar.
Latest political news
Same-sex marriage threatens Coalition unity
Matthew Knott, Mark Kenny 8:39 PM Same-sex marriage reform advocates within the Turnbull government react angrily to hardline conservative plans to vote against change in Parliament even if a plebiscite approves it.
Human Rights Watch blasts Australia
David Wroe 8:46 PM A leading international human rights group has blasted Australia's asylum-seeker policy as "abusive" and says a serious rethink is needed to restore the country's standing globally.
Australian of the Year choice 'weak'
David Wroe 8:20 PM Australian of the Year finalist and transgender military officer Catherine McGregor has branded the appointment of her former boss David Morrison to the position as a "weak and conventional choice".
'Heavy price' for Hong Kong incident: Briggs
Fergus Hunter 10:28 PM Former minister Jamie Briggs has said he had paid a heavy price for the Hong Kong incident that saw him resign from the ministry and expressed regret over his consumption of alcohol to deal with the stress of work.
Advisers want public 'educated' on tax
Heath Aston 1:26 AM Treasurer Scott Morrison's advisory panel on tax has urged big business and its industry bodies to mount a public relations campaign to "educate" Australians on why companies shouldn't always pay the mandatory 30 per cent tax rate.
Andrews skips Parliament for US lobby group
Heath Aston 8:39 PM Kevin Andrews will become the second Liberal backbencher in a week to address a Right wing US lobby group when he speaks at the largest conservative think tank in Washington on Tuesday.
Noel Pearson reveals his greatest regret
Fergus Hunter 12:43 AM Australia's most prominent Indigenous leader and activist, Noel Pearson, has said not entering politics is his greatest regret and called for a new centrist political force to fix a political system failing Indigenous affairs, which is in "deep crisis".
Coalition tensions flare over gay marriage
A split has re-opened within the Coalition over same-sex marriage, after conservative senator Eric Abetz warned he may vote against allowing gays and lesbians to marry even if Australians back the change at a plebiscite.
Abbott event not `intentionally secretive'
9:48 AM The conservative US group that invited former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott to speak in New York says the event is not "intentionally secretive".
Ellis back with plans to haunt Bishop again
Heath Aston Bob Ellis, the colourful former Labor speechwriter and playwright credited with derailing the Liberal Party leadership ambitions of Bronwyn Bishop in the mid-1990s, has emerged from the political grave with an offer to assist Dick Smith unseat the former Speaker in her northern beaches seat of Mackellar.
Comment & Analysis
Holocaust remembrance: lessons for humanity
Ruth Barson If Australia is serious about protecting human rights, it should codify and enforce them.
Australian economy isn't in bad shape
Ross Gittins Gloomy news from abroad is making people worried about the economy here, but the pessimism is unfounded. Here's why.
Republic success needs community dedication
Greg Barns The Australian people, not politicians, should decide how we become a republic, and what it looks like, if the 1999 failure is not to be repeated.
We need a new Australia Day for all of us
Shireen Morris Australia Day: celebrate our Indigenous heritage, our British inheritance and our multicultural achievement.
Australian republic is too important to wait
Peter FitzSimons In my address to the National Press Club last year I stated that, "Never before have the stars of the Southern Cross been so aligned as now, pointing to the dawn of the Australian republic."
Turnbull's act impresses at home and abroad
Peter Hartcher In the republic debate, Australia is not truly debating its independence from Britain. It's not an argument we're having over the influence of the once-mighty master.
Don't underestimate disabled students
Chris Varney As school goes back for the year, the Senate report into the systemic failings of the education system for students with disability is very timely.
Abbott's decision a potential nightmare
James Massola A return to the frontbench for Tony Abbott may salve the wound.
Concierge faction is choking the Liberal Party
Paul Sheehan You would think Malcolm Turnbull's insurmountable lead over Bill Shorten would strengthen his influence over his home state division. But the NSW Liberal Party is in the grip of the "concierge faction": the lobbyists, the facilitators, the door-openers.
The great superannuation swindle
Josh Bornstein So you think super is good for workers? Well, it’s certainly great for the financial services industry.
'UnAustralian': lazy insult that should be retired
Tim Dick The list of things that have been called unAustralian is so long that the phrase is now devoid of any meaning.
The hazards on Turnbull's high road
Michael Gordon The PM is inclined to resist the temptation to dash to the polls. It's a risky strategy.
The problem with Australia Day
Martin Flanagan National days should unite. Ours divides. January 26 is precisely the wrong date.
Opportunity for reflection and pride
Tim Soutphommasane Ben Roberts-Smith knows a thing or two about patriotism. Australia's most decorated soldier, Roberts-Smith is also chair of the National Australia Day Council.
The least exciting public holiday
Judith Ireland Australia Day is our annual festival of cliches and lamb chops. It's also the least exciting public holiday of the year.
When Islamic State is the lesser of two evils
Waleed Aly Islamic State is being damaged by the US-led bombing campaign but civilians under the regime are finding it less fearsome than the alternatives.
Will Tony Abbott stay in Parliament?
James Massola It's one of the biggest questions in federal politics, and only one man can answer it.
Self-interest prominent in Iranian policies
Tanya Plibersek The Iranian nuclear deal, which entered into force over the weekend, is significant - having the potential to restrict Iran's ability to develop the technology required to build a nuclear weapon.
Australia treated as China's economic colony
Paul Sheehan Australia has enjoyed 25 years of unbroken growth thanks in large part to the Chinese economic miracle.
Indefinite detention is a High Court creation
Louis A Coutts The court should reverse its decision that allows the government to indefinitely imprison people genuinely seeking asylum.
Turnbull treads carefully on US and China
Daniel Flitton The PM has delivered a sensible and careful speech in Washington that really only hints at how a Turnbull government - re-elected - might approach the world.
Special features
Turnbull's moderate vision begins to fray
Malcolm Turnbull's implicit promise to the Australian people, used to justify his raid on Tony Abbott's power, was to lead a modern government, less narrow, less defensive, and truly representative.
Aiding and Abetzing the flat-Earthers
Senator Eric Abetz awoke from his fitful summer slumber. He'd been dreaming about Donald Trump. And Sarah Palin. And vice-versa.
Virtual money leads us down the road to ruin
The world is waking up to the reality that in 2016 it is shackled to an increasingly incoherent and stagnating economic system.
US at sea but Australia can show the way
We can move beyond the role of "loyal ally" to the US and be a diplomatic leader in our region.
Is our identity a matter for pride or shame?
Why would like-mindedness be necessary or even desirable in that catch-all we call a nation?
Why the push for a republic is doomed
What passes for a new debate about a republic is a shallow fraud built on zero substance.
Inside the Alliance Defending Freedom
Critics condemn religious group as reactionary lobby group funded by the super-rich.
What the? Australia's latest diversity advocate is a straight, white, male
You could be forgiven for waking up this morning and thinking perhaps it is not Australia Day, but April Fools instead.
Holocaust: lessons for humanity
If Australia is serious about protecting human rights, it should codify and enforce them.
Republic success needs community dedication
Greg Barns The Australian people, not politicians, should decide how we become a republic.
Australian economy isn't in bad shape
Gloomy news from abroad is making people worried about the economy here, but the pessimism is unfounded. Here's why.
We need a new Australia Day for all of us
Shireen Morris Celebrate our Indigenous heritage, our British inheritance and our multicultural achievement.
An Australian republic is too important to wait
In my address to the National Press Club last year I stated that, "Never before have the stars of the Southern Cross been so aligned as now, pointing to the dawn of the Australian republic."
Tony Abbott's decision is a potential nightmare
James Massola A return to the frontbench for Tony Abbott may salve the wound.
Turnbull's act impresses at home and abroad
In the republic debate, Australia is not truly debating its independence from Britain. It's not an argument we're having over the influence of the once-mighty master; it's a struggle over our own identity.
The hard fight ahead for Mosul
Australian and New Zealand military trainers are trying to improve Iraqi troops' chances of success when they attempt to take back their city from Islamic State.
PM Turnbull shows breathtaking hypocrisy
PM urges US to ratify treaty that Australia won't fully comply with so it can keep Timor Sea oil billions.
Palmer: gone fishing
Clive Palmer denies that he is strapped for cash, and says that the prime purpose of his business empire is to 'make him happy'.
Media ownership reform gets messy for PM
This isn't just a business story. It's about which stories get told, who tells them and who wields the influence that flows from running a big media company.
Kim Beazley quits Washington
'Sequesters' in the US mean next generation weapons systems such as B3 bombers and ship-borne lasers, very fast missiles and underwater robots have been put on hold.
Australia Day: the least exciting public holiday
Australia Day is our annual festival of cliches and lamb chops. It's also the least exciting public holiday of the year.
