Will Labor’s ‘drover’s dog’ have his day?

If the polls are right, Bill Shorten will become the next prime minister, so what kind of national leader would he be?

The telling silences of this election campaign

Political parties try to choose the ground on which they fight, but amid the hustle and bustle of the election campaign there are some tricky issues which neither party wants to face.

Who is Scott Morrison?

People tend to see Prime Minister Scott Morrison as tough and pragmatic, but defining what he actually believes in remains open to question.

How do the parties shape up on health?

The major parties’ manifestos for the 2019 federal election present voters with starkly contrasting health policies. These policies are shaped and constrained by the overall themes presented by the party leaders, but have some unique elements.

Don’t write off One Nation

One Nation’s scandals and extremism count against it, but if it can clean up its act it could tap into greater electoral support as many Australians still express concern about immigration issues.

The battle of the slogans

Voters have been bombarded by political advertising on their TVs, radios, social media feeds, and even on their phones, but which party has the most effective slogans?

All image, no vision

Scott Morrison ditched the hat, and Bill Shorten started smiling more, but it hasn’t helped either candidate generate genuine charisma. Australia’s image-conscious but visionless leaders have made for a dreary Federal election campaign.

Here’s how to renew Australia’s democracy

Citizen juries, an independent speaker, and ensuring MPs get to sit with their opponents, not opposite them, are all proposals at the heart of a new push to improve how Australian democracy works.

Australia’s aging voters may hold the key to election victory

If Labor is relying on a surge of younger voters to deliver it victory then its hopes may be misplaced as Australia’s voters are ageing.

A debate needs more than sloganeering

The first televised “debate” between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was dominated by the type of partisan sloganeering which turns voters off the election campaign.

Lies, obfuscation and fake news make for a dispiriting – and dangerous – election campaign

The integrity of Australia’s electoral processes is under unprecedented challenge in this federal election, and the campaign has already been marred by fake news and the political exploitation of social media falsehoods.

The shortening odds on a Labor victory

Australians don’t seem to like Labor leader Bill Shorten, yet according to the nation’s bookmakers, he’s odds-on to be the next prime minister.