Shaun Carney
Shaun Carney is a regular columnist, an author and former associate editor of The Age.
Opinion
Political leadership
What Peter Dutton has in common with Australia’s most famous fly spray
Polls show Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese are as unpopular as each other. For a first-term opposition leader, that is a historically good result.
- by Shaun Carney
Latest
Opinion
Political leadership
Albanese has finally woken up to the reality that he needs to change, and fast
It’s beyond question that Labor is in trouble, as voters turn away from a blithe prime minister who seems removed from voters’ cost of living concerns. But there are encouraging signs for the party’s supporters.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
US Votes 2024
A Trump victory would leave Australia handcuffed to the whims of a narcissist
America is not well, and it will take a long time before it gets better, if it ever does. If this is not the time to take a hard look at how we approach and deal with the US, when will that time come?
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Energy
Energy policy is becoming Australia’s own Brexit, and proving just as intractable
If the Coalition isn’t making up the policy as it’s going along, then it’s doing a Vegas-level impression of a political outfit that is.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Political leadership
Peter Dutton is crazy brave to the point of being reckless. He’s also outsmarting Anthony Albanese
What times we live in, when the adoption of nuclear energy, which John Howard’s government outlawed, actually stands a chance of being implemented.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Political leadership
Dutton has dealt himself into contention. Does Albanese have the bottle to go after him?
Following last week’s budget, key elements of the election contest are now in place. Anthony Albanese would be unwise to wait too long in setting a date.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Political leadership
Albanese’s is an ‘experimental’ government – and it looks like the experiment is failing
It’s the first federal government I’ve seen that has sought to build most of its political and policy mandate after winning office rather than before it.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Australian economy
Albanese’s latest plan is triggering elite economists. Don’t listen to them
Despite our expensive subsidies for property investors, commentators who have made their careers by calling for ever more reform hate Labor’s signature policy.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Political leadership
Replace the other mob and change nothing: Welcome to modern Australian politics
Governing is mostly doing running repairs, but inevitably a time comes when the problems have accumulated to the point where our systems need to fully refresh. This is one of those times.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Political leadership
Albo behaves like a celebrity. We need him to be a prime minister
Anthony Albanese got engaged, went to Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and the tennis. Meanwhile, he allows his government to drift on homeownership, cost of living and inequity. Alarm bells should be ringing.
- by Shaun Carney
Opinion
Australia votes
It’s Monday after the next federal election. Does Albanese call Bandt?
The Greens are struggling to break out from being a boutique, purist, inner-city outfit that tells its existing supporters what they want to hear.
- by Shaun Carney