Flashpoint No. 2 – Home truths

Wednesday, 15 July 2009   International relations   5 comments 

Highlighting the coalition’s hypocrisy by contrasting its response to Hick’s detention at Guantanamo is a good example, but surely Dr Haneef’s case is a better one.

A victory for the judiciary, not civil liberties

Wednesday, 22 August 2007   Key posts, The Australian state  Comments Off on A victory for the judiciary, not civil liberties 

To read much of the Judge’s decision and the media comment about it, you could get the impression that this is all about the detention of Haneef and the excessive use of anti-terrorism powers.

Time to leave Howard in the swamp

Tuesday, 21 August 2007   Tactics  Comments Off on Time to leave Howard in the swamp 

Rudd’s job now is to stop boring the nation on how drunk he was four years ago.

Rats unsure which way to jump

Thursday, 16 August 2007   Media analysis  Comments Off on Rats unsure which way to jump 

The equivocal response of the press gallery reflects their increasing defensiveness as many of the assumptions built up during the Howard ascendancy have been undermined over this year.

Power is shifting away

Monday, 6 August 2007   The Australian state  Comments Off on Power is shifting away 

These anti-terrorist powers, and the Ministers responsible for them, are not the main issue in this debate. This is less about Haneef’s civil liberties than a fight between the government and the judiciary over who uses these powers.

Who is Andrews arguing with?

Wednesday, 1 August 2007   The Australian state  Comments Off on Who is Andrews arguing with? 

The problem with the Magistrate’s ruling was a political one, because it added to the impression that Haneef was being held on no evidence and undermined the credibility of the government’s use of the anti-terror laws. That was why the Minister was compelled to intervene with a political response.

Anti-politics masquerading as civil liberties

Tuesday, 31 July 2007   The Australian state  Comments Off on Anti-politics masquerading as civil liberties 

Anti-terrorism legislation that brings in special powers to deal with what look like nihilistic amateurs, as though they were a paramilitary organisation like the IRA, was clearly introduced by the government for political, rather than operational purposes.

Dead elephants clutter up the battlefield

Thursday, 26 July 2007   Tactics  Comments Off on Dead elephants clutter up the battlefield 

The election campaign is now being littered with dead issues that were escalated by the government for political purposes but have since gone nowhere.

Gently falling apart

Tuesday, 24 July 2007   State of the parties  Comments Off on Gently falling apart 

The government is apparently intent on bedding down between now and the election and just focussing on its economic strength. Well, that’s one way of putting it.