Avoiding the hole in the middle
Wednesday, 21 April 2010 State of the parties 7 comments
Essentially Rudd wrapped a big boost to health funding up in a political agenda that called the states’ right to exist into question.
The real lessons from SA
Monday, 22 March 2010 State and federal politics, State of the parties 13 comments
While the Tasmanian result represents the decomposition of the old, the SA result reflects the weakness of the new.
Rudd: the anti-politics campaigner – 2010 edition
Monday, 8 March 2010 Tactics 5 comments
Rudd and Gillard are campaigning against an arm of government. However, it is worth noting that they are also campaigning against the parties running them, including their own.
The slow death of the state(s)
Friday, 5 March 2010 State and federal politics, Tactics, The Australian state 11 comments
Even before the 2007 election, Rudd was using health as a basis for his anti-political agenda.
Easy in, easy out
Tuesday, 13 January 2009 State and federal politics 3 comments
There is just a little bit of hypocrisy doing the rounds about Evan Thornley’s sudden decision to refuse a ministry spot and quit Victorian politics.
Review of 2008 – Labor
Wednesday, 24 December 2008 Key posts, State of the parties Comments Off on Review of 2008 – Labor
It was the political assault on the old power bases of the party that was the underlying theme of federal Labor in 2008.
Clinging to the wreckage
Monday, 1 December 2008 The Australian state Comments Off on Clinging to the wreckage
… it seems the more the Liberals ditch what they stand for, the more they cling to Howard the man, rather than what he was supposed to stand for.
Spot the Liberal
Friday, 3 October 2008 State and federal politics Comments Off on Spot the Liberal
So much for the election of a Liberal Premier shaking up Rudd’s federalism.
No revival, just decay – another update
Thursday, 25 September 2008 State and federal politics Comments Off on No revival, just decay – another update
Labor can push emission cuts out to well beyond the political life of anyone in the government. Unfortunately the Murray crisis creates expectations over what it can do and highlights its impotence now.
Libs re-emerge to a changed landscape
Monday, 15 September 2008 State and federal politics Comments Off on Libs re-emerge to a changed landscape
The Nationals’ problem is not some demographic phenomenon of sun-seekers retiring on the NSW coast but a political one. They are the most obvious victims of an unravelling of the old two party system that is affecting all of the parties.