Shorten’s plea for moderation

In his farewell speech to Parliament, Bill Shorten has declared himself ‘a proud moderate’ and that Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t be hostage to intolerant fringes.

Won’t be fooled again

A new report warns the public is unlikely to accept a repeat of the costly lockdowns and draconian travel restrictions which characterised the Government’s response to the COVID pandemic.

The costly path to universal childhood education

A new report from the Productivity Commission charts the costly path to universal early childhood education.

Saving kids from social media?

In response to growing public concern about the social affects of social media, the Albanese government will introduce legislation to enforce a minimum age for children to access major social platforms.

What if….Shorten had become PM?

Politics is full of “what ifs?” As Bill Shorten prepares to exit parliament early next year, and Anthony Albanese may be on the path to a minority government, the question invites itself: what if Shorten had won the 2019 election?

CFMEU corruption is a problem for Labor

Channel Nine’s revelations of thuggery, kickbacks and the parachuting of senior bikie figures into lucrative union delegate roles on major Victorian construction projects has thrown the Construction Union into crisis.

Dutton’s nuclear gamble

Peter Dutton needed a big idea to challenge Labor at the next election, and his proposal to meet Australia’s future energy needs with up to 7 nuclear plants is a gamble which will either make or break his political career.

Second time around

Anthony Albanese recently told the Labor caucus his cabinet is preparing “an offer” to put to the Australian people at the election. As it crafts its pitch, the biggest uncertainty looming over Labor is what sort of parliament a second term Albanese government would likely face.

Corruption watch

The National Anti-Corruption Commission will provide guidance on “corruption vulnerabilities” ahead of next year’s federal election, given increasing public concern on the issue.

Turning off the tap

Politicians have boosted Australia’s economic performance through increases in immigration rather than productivity over the last 20 years, but the current housing and infrastructure crisis has prompted a rethink, not least in the much abused foreign student visa system.

Marking the class of 2023

It’s not just Australian children who get report cards as school breaks up. So do government ministers, when parliament rises at the end of the year, so how is Anthony Albanese’s administration faring as the inevitable political problems pile up now the honeymoon is over.

Happy Christmas, Albo?

Halfway into its first term, the big question is whether the Albanese government is in a temporary bad patch, or at the beginning of a downhill slide.