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.

We will still remember them

Anzac Day was commemorated in 1919 despite the ravages of the Spanish flu. Over a century later, in 2020, we will remember those who fell defending freedom in pandemic conditions once again.

Australia’s response to the Spanish flu tolls a warning for today

Australian states are finally enforcing social isolation, as they did a hundred years ago against Spanish Flu, but the worst is yet to come. Neither should restrictions be lifted too quickly, as many Australians were killed by a second wave of Spanish Flu in the autumn of 1919.

Nuance and nostalgia

The internal report on Labor’s election debacle bemoans the party’s tendency to become the vehicle for various interests with diverse grievances at the expense of serving the needs of economically insecure working-class voters.

Farewell to Bob Hawke

On the cusp of probable re-election of a Labor government, Labor’s greatest leader of recent times has passed away.

The big kick off

History suggests that most governments are returned to power, but the polls have favoured Labor for months. As the election campaign kicks off, the only certainty is a cranky and mistrustful electorate.

Your time starts now: how leadership instability and revenge became woven into our political fabric

While Australia is one of the most stable democracies in the world, the churn of leaders in the highest office of the land seems to have become more incessant than ever.