En Passant

Bob Hawke—Australia’s Thatcher 27 May 2019 Bob Hawke has been lauded for his consensus politics, but he waged a brutal assault on unions and Labor’s own working class supporters, argues Ian Rintoul in Solidarity Magazine. Conceding defeat on election night, Bill Shorten said, “I wish we could have done it for Bob”. But Bob Hawke, who […]

As readers would know, I have no love for Julian Assange. I want him sent to Sweden to face inquiries and possible prosecution over allegations of sexual misconduct (e.g. rape.) I oppose sending him to the United States for any reason. The reality is the ruling class there want to imprison, if not execute, Assange […]

I know. The idea of Corbyn leading the Australian Labor Party is ridiculous. For a start, he is a British MP.  Second, he has his hands full leading the British Labour Party, on the way to possibly becoming Prime Minister in the near future. But of course, you know the reason why I have framed […]

The Coalition has retained government. At the time of writing on Sunday it has 74 seats, Labor has 66 and various independents and minor parties, including a Green, hold another 6. Five seats are in doubt with 4 potentially going to the Coalition. This would give it 78 seats in the new Parliament, enough to […]

And so the last day of electioneering and voting has arrived. Thank the gods the 5 weeks of lies, rubbish, obfuscation and vagueness have finished. Here is a list of seats to keep an eye on. It is based on the latest aggregated odds of 7 bookmakers fielding on the result and taken from information […]

Of course, a Labor government will make a difference to the industrial landscape. Its minor industrial law changes, plus the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, are welcome. But like much of Labor’s program, they do not go far enough. Sally McManus has warned that the right to strike is almost dead but […]

Marx famously thought there was a difference between appearance and reality. It was what drove him to look into the real workings of capitalism, a system of exploitation of workers. Our current election campaign is showing that appearance and reality distinction up.  Now, don’t worry, I am not going to talk about deep philosophical matters […]

The words, the article, the politics Cannot write tonight The not right of campaigns The pain of lies, untruths, sales By the men and women with snake oil Greasing our minds With thoughts to supposedly explain Our economic insecurity as gain But exploitation is insecure Systemically, crises are its cure, Unplanned, undemocratic Men in suits […]

If there was ever any confirmation needed that the Liberals and the Nationals see women as props to rich men’s politics, the Liberals’ election launch on Sunday confirmed it. Canberra Press Gallery member John Passant reports. There was Prime Minister Scott Morrison, surrounded by three generations of women from his family – his mother, his […]

I not only read Rupert Murdoch’s The Australian. I subscribe to 6-day delivery (there is no Sunday edition) and digital access. Many of my friends think I am mad. I am not.   Of course, Murdoch’s down market Daily Telegraph in Sydney went low rent in attacking Bill Shorten over his deceased mother’s legacy. One […]