It’s a political crisis, not Australian Idol

Friday, 25 April 2008   Political figures  Comments Off on It’s a political crisis, not Australian Idol 

Australia is going through a profound political crisis. It doesn’t seem like it because this is not about a dramatic clash of alternatives but more like an implosion.

Stringing them along

Tuesday, 22 April 2008   The Australian state  Comments Off on Stringing them along 

The republican side always contained an uneasy coalition between these two differing reasons for supporting the republican model – a national identity one and a broader democratic one. The two may want to get rid of the monarchy but there is a conflict between them over who was to have the final say.

Funeral oration for the political class

Monday, 21 April 2008   State of the parties  Comments Off on Funeral oration for the political class 

If the apology was a body blow to Australia’s political class, the 2020 Summit was its funeral – and it was as celebratory as an Irish wake.

The Mandarin’s anti-politics jamboree

Friday, 18 April 2008   State of the parties  Comments Off on The Mandarin’s anti-politics jamboree 

With Gillard having argued for the end of politics inside the ALP, the new leader of it now wants to extend it to the national stage.

Dead man walking

Sunday, 13 April 2008   Political figures  Comments Off on Dead man walking 

Nature might abhor a vacuum but that doesn’t mean she can necessarily fill it, and Nelson is living proof.

Read through

Friday, 11 April 2008   International relations  Comments Off on Read through 

Maybe the Chinese were too polite to ask, but they may have wondered why the high-powered delegation to a meeting in Beijing that would form the centre of Australia’s foreign policy did not include the Foreign Minister but did have the Minister for Climate Change

Listening very carefully

Monday, 7 April 2008   International relations  Comments Off on Listening very carefully 

At the bottom of this conundrum is Labor still trying to make an economic argument when it has already admitted that an economic policy is no longer possible, something Rudd has confirmed by motivating his world tour as an alternative to watching the economic crisis unfold on CNN.