The golden age of the gaffe

Though trivial in themselves, a politician’s “gaffe” can hint at much greater political failings, but the media’s eagerness to pounce on missteps rather than analyse policy substance may be a bigger problem.

Farewell Scotty from marketing

Australia has churned through 6 Prime Ministers since John Howard left office in 2007 in a bipartisan melee of bitter back-stabbing but no-one was less qualified for the job than Scott Morrison, a man whose messianic belief in his own infallibility saw him secretly assume personal control of vast swathes of government during the pandemic.

Give us a job

What do you do after you’ve lost the most important job in the country? If you are wealthy, like Turnbull or Kevin Rudd, there is nothing to worry about. But matters are more complicated for others.

One nation

Anthony Albanese will be taking nothing for granted in his relations with Labor state and territory governments and the premiers and chief ministers will know better than to expect too many free kicks.

The Coalition century

The Liberal-National Coalition marks its 100th birthday this week and has enjoyed long periods in power, but will it survive for many more?

That was the year that was

It’s been an eventful year in Australian domestic politics, with the Coalition swept from power after years of domination.

Bulldozed

A new book on Scott Morrison excoriates the former Prime Minister, characterising him as a messianic megalomaniac who lacked loyalty to friends or empathy for others.

The strange death of Liberal Australia

The Liberals’ weakness in Canberra is self-evident and, especially at the state level, part of a long-term change in the country’s electoral politics.

How Albanese crept into power

Though it won just a third of first preference votes, Labor will form a minority government thanks to a strong showing by the teal independents and Greens and Western Australia’s wholesale rejection of Scott Morrison, so how will Albanese govern now?

Australia can handle a hung parliament

An indecisive election in 2022 might produce a better government than a narrow majority in the House of Representatives for one side or the other.

Farewell to 2021 in federal politics

It’s been an interesting year in Federal politics to say the least, but the verdict of the voters will have to wait for 2022.

The best of times, the worst of times

Public trust in government increased during the COVID crisis, but the jury is out on whether Coalition support will fall due to bungles in the vaccine rollout.