James Massola is chief political reporter in the Canberra bureau. He was a Walkley finalist in 2015 and has worked in the federal press gallery for eight years, including stints for The Australian Financial Review and The Australian before joining the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
When people switch on the television news, or open a newspaper or website, invariably the story of the day in federal politics is reported as one politician besting the other, or putting the other in his or her place.
If the prime minister and his government are to properly revive their fortunes in 2017 they need to become a whole lot better.
Malcolm Turnbull is a man under pressure.
It's one of the biggest questions in federal politics, and only one man can answer it.
Defence and security policy will be revisited but if we are to emulate US dynamism we have to boost creativity and set our sights high.
Abbott does fine when he follows his instincts, but fails when tries to be a warrior.
The royal commission throws up a key question: did he go for the leadership too soon?
We need a circuit breaker to bring change, but Abbott and Shorten can’t see that.
The storm is not over for the federal government, despite Tony Abbott's renewed confidence.
Look to the PM laying down significant markers for 2015 in a National Press Club speech scheduled for February 2, James Massola says.
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