Opposing on empty

Monday, 15 March 2010   Tactics   4 comments 

If Howard couldn’t sustain a distinctive agenda in the run up to the 2007 election, why should Abbott after 2010?

The slow toppling destruction of Turnbull – an apology

Thursday, 6 August 2009   Political figures   9 comments 

Costello said on Monday night that Turnbull has had a far easier ride than Nelson, but this blog is now not so sure. There seems no other way to explain the Liberals’ extraordinary behaviour over the last few days.

St Godwin v The Political Class

Tuesday, 4 August 2009   State of the parties   11 comments 

That such an incident, so trivial in nature, should turn out be so potentially damaging to two senior political figures and was actually damaging to another, should have been proof of the anti-political climate our politicians are operating in. Now, with what is becoming almost the canonisation of the said public servant, we have more.

Avoiding the Katrina effect

Monday, 16 February 2009   Tactics   9 comments 

The government passed up what could have been a major political opportunity last week.

Hardball – an update

Friday, 13 February 2009   Tactics  Comments Off on Hardball – an update 

Xenophon’s rejection of the stimulus has given the government at least another day to turn the Liberal’s internal manoeuvre into a public one.

Hardball

Thursday, 12 February 2009   Tactics  Comments Off on Hardball 

For the first time since 1990, when Labor’s reform program ran its course, the coalition has now lost its precious lead in economic management.

Unity can be death too

Friday, 12 December 2008   State of the parties  Comments Off on Unity can be death too 

You would think the Liberals in opposition would be in their element now. The economy is turning down and Labor’s plan is to spend its way out of it.

An irrelevant and useful distraction – an update

Monday, 8 December 2008   State of the parties  Comments Off on An irrelevant and useful distraction – an update 

What is striking in the press coverage is how it has shifted focus onto what the Nationals did and away from the real challenge to Turnbull’s authority, what the Liberal front bench did.

The Day The Right Died

Monday, 27 October 2008   Key posts, State of the parties  Comments Off on The Day The Right Died 

The public stoning of Dr Henry in Wednesday’s Senate hearing and George Brandis’s bizarre behaviour on Lateline on Friday shows that the coalition had more in mind than political point-scoring last week.

A witch-hunt to hide behind

Thursday, 23 October 2008   Tactics  Comments Off on A witch-hunt to hide behind 

The Australian may be making the right point that somewhere along the line, the RBA Governor probably did state the obvious, i.e. that banking guarantees distort the financial markets. But Turnbull’s disastrous appearance on The 7.30 Report last night is a reminder that politically it’s a stupid point to pursue.

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