A budget for Labor’s battlers

A big incentive for doctors to bulk bill, a modest $40 a fortnight rise in JobSeeker and extra rent assistance are highlights of a Labor budget that juggles targeted cost-of-living relief with containing inflation.

Remembering Allan Gyngell

The passing of diplomat, analyst and writer Allan Gyngell,means that Australia has lost one of his deepest thinkers on foreign affairs and our country’s place in the world.

Voices off

Paul Keating’s attack on the Labor Party is not unprecedented for a former prime minister, but many of his predecessors preferred to keep their counsel once they had retired from the stage.

Power behind the throne

The exercise of public power by unaccountable ministerial advisors poses a growing threat to Australian parliamentary democracy in both state and federal politics.

Budget politics

The economic backdrop for the May 9 budget is grim, although when it comes to the budget itself, things are probably not as dire as the Federal Treasurer sometimes paints them.

Is there any way back for the Liberals?

Peter Dutton and his demoralised team, shocked beyond belief by their Aston drubbing, say the party has to “rebuild” but there are no obvious foundation stones for this mammoth task.

Aston loss piles pressure on Dutton

Labor’s triumph in the Aston by-election is the first time in a century that a government has gained a seat at a federal byelection, and increases the pressure on Peter Dutton’s Liberal leadership.

Labor sweeps to power in New South Wales

After 12 years in opposition, Labor secured an overall majority in the NSW state election, shutting the Liberals out of mainland Australian politics at both the state and federal level.

The Aston Factor

The Liberals need a morale boosting win after the loss of NSW, but the looming Aston byelection in Victoria could prove more of a problem for Peter Dutton than Anthony Albanese.

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.

Labor eyes a narrow win in NSW

Conventional analysis – and the bookies’ odds – suggest a narrow Labor win in the NSW state election, although the Coalition are rolling the dice in narrowly targeted areas and on atypical issues, just as they tried in the Federal vote.

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?