Nicholas Reece
Principal fellow at the University of Melbourne
Asylum seekers: how to end our nation’s shame
Nicholas Reece Memo Malcolm Turnbull: there is a better way.
New innovators don't need huge tax breaks
![The square kilometre array site in Western Australia. Australia and New Zealand bid to host the SKA in Murchison Shire in WA. It will be the biggest and most advanced radio telescope ever constructed, consistsing of 3000 dishes.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/12/08/7067967/Thumbnail1003576298gli6scimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gli4fe.png1449890264146.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece The PM's innovation statement is a good start, but it falls well short of being the game changer that the Australian economy needs.
Now comes the hard part for birthday boy Dan Andrews
![Premier Daniel Andrew will need sound political judgment and ambitious policies to deal with the challenges ahead.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/11/29/7046493/Thumbnail1003230354gl909qimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.glaphu.png1449285089399.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece He has made a strong start, but has he got the right stuff to take Victoria to the next level?
Australia is falling behind in the innovation stakes
![Dinkus Nicholas Reece](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/10/11/6919616/Thumbnail1001342436ghin7timage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gk68ro.png1444617256148.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Memo Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten: this country needs bold policies and a clear jobs plan.
What the ALP can learn from Jeremy Corbyn's extraordinary elevation in Britain
![Jeremy Corbyn is announced as the new leader of the Labour Party at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/09/13/6844078/Thumbnail1000367114gjl9khimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gjlc7e.png1442122077993.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Memo ALP: British Labour has just shot itself in the foot.
How Australia's cartel-like political parties drag down democracy
![Labor's national conference achieved significant policy success on several fronts and provided a political boost for Bill Shorten.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/08/09/6752335/Thumbnail999136820gity6eimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.giuywk.png1444104372099.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Labor, Liberal and the Greens – they have all contributed to the deplorable state of our politics.
Labor pulls the right levers to set the policy agenda
![Bill Shorten](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/07/27/6718894/Thumbnail998686947gikdfcimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gilbs3.png1438124886208.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Labor is finally on the right side of the debate. Watch the Coalition fumble now.
Labor conference 2015: Bill Shorten is facing his make-or-break moment
![Bill Shorten.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/07/19/6696846/Thumbnail998416222gib7owimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gifivy.png1437111583270.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece This week's ALP national conference is both minefield and opportunity.
Experiment pays off: Melbourne People's Panel produces quality policy
![Melbourne Town Hall, home of an important experiment in democracy.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/06/28/6647678/Thumbnail997677616ghzp9qimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.ghzoz4.png1435983164500.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Citizen juries are one of the most promising innovations to emerge in the conversation about democratic renewal.
Let's replace the Queen's Birthday holiday with Reconciliation Day
![Dinkus Nicholas Reece](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/06/07/6595091/Thumbnail996874711ghin7timage.related.thumbnail.320x214.ghihg7.png1433850139617.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Sorry to interrupt your long weekend but I have a rather important question to ask: What is the point of the Queen's Birthday public holiday?
Australians deserve a say on gay marriage
![Rory O'Neill, known by the drag persona Panti, celebrates Ireland's decision to back gay marriage in the world's first national referendum on the issue.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/05/25/6558640/Thumbnail996420256gh8rqjimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.gh8qsg.png1432640264912.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece A plebiscite could break the political impasse over marriage equality that is an embarrassment to Australia.
Forget the cricket: NZ streaks ahead in policy
![NZ PM John Key's government is viewed as the most successful centre-right administration in the world.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2015/04/24/6473683/Thumbnail987435061mqgl7image.related.thumbnail.320x214.1msez6.png1430092360301.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Australia should be feeling anxious about economic comparisons with New Zealand right now.
Melbourne People's Panel makes bold decisions where politicians fear to tread
![Nicholas Reece](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2013/10/06/4808735/Nicholas%20Reece-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Public participation in government can be a remedy for our lacklustre leaders.
Intergenerational report prepared by Baby Boomers who had the best deal of any generation
Nicholas Reece Abbott and Hockey talk of intergenerational theft, yet they seek to deny young people the benefits of government largesse that their generation enjoyed more than any other group in history.
Memo Mr Premier: What you should do next
![A big job ahead: New Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2014/12/07/6066664/Thumbnail63916457121yemimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.121y95.png1417948495005.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Dan Andrews will soon discover these are tough times to govern.
Victorian state election: How Labor and the unions blew up the Coalition
![A well-oiled campaign machine has helped deliver the votes that won Labor Victoria.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2014/11/30/6043134/Thumbnail6368940511w3jlimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.11x325.png1417380155482.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece This result has changed the face of campaigning.
How to save the world's most liveable city
![Illustration: Jim Pavlidis](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2014/10/19/5897527/Thumbnail62498201118dbhimage.related.thumbnail.320x214.117jx5.png1413719530708.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece Denis Napthine and Daniel Andrews should learn from Henry Bolte about catering for a population boom.
Melbourne’s choice: San Francisco or Adelaide?
![Illustration: Jim Pavlidis (after Hanna-Barbera).](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2014/09/21/5797398/2209-pavlidis-thumb-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece How to transform our economy and create jobs should be the big debate of the Victorian election campaign.
For democracy's sake, give power to the people
![Mayor Robert Doyle should be congratulated for this bold move.](http://web.archive.org./web/20160201083517im_/http://images.theage.com.au/2014/08/31/5721816/Thumbnail6095948510akpw1409475432486.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Nicholas Reece A radical experiment in democracy has begun at Melbourne Town Hall. But it does not involve online activism, marching in the streets, or the Occupy Movement.
Nicholas Reece
Window may have closed for Australia Post to go private
Nicholas Reece The Coalition believes the political cost of selling the postal service is just too high.