Essays

An archive of essays by opinion makers on issues of national interest.

Political purgatory exposes the ugly election

By Annabel Crabb

Posted September 3, 2010 11:49:00

This period of political purgatory has exposed some very unattractive elements of our system.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-elections, australia

Quality journalism and a 21st century ABC

By Mark Scott

Posted September 3, 2010 07:17:00

The 2010 election has changed how we think of 'politics as usual' in this country.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, information-and-communication, broadcasting, abc, federal-elections, australia

A refreshingly new political paradigm

By Fran Kelly

Posted September 2, 2010 17:41:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 17:44:00

I know it's not popular to say so in some company - but I am a fan of the new paradigm!

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, political-parties, federal-elections, australia

War, peace and interior decorating

By Kim Landers

Posted September 2, 2010 11:32:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 11:43:00

Barack Obama has lousy timing. While he was away on a 10-day holiday at the exclusive Martha's Vineyard, the Oval Office was getting a makeover.

Tags: world-politics, united-states

Why NSW must allow same-sex adoption

By Mhairi McClymont

Posted September 2, 2010 07:26:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 09:47:00

MPs in NSW have been allowed a conscience vote on the issue of same-sex adoption. I hope they pass the law.

Tags: community-and-society, family-and-children, adoption, gays-and-lesbians, government-and-politics, parliament, state-parliament, states-and-territories, law-crime-and-justice, australia, nsw

The reality of consensus building politics

By Barrie Cassidy

Posted September 2, 2010 07:24:00

The past two weeks have been unreal and atypical. Everybody is on their best behaviour until the deals are done.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, political-parties, labor-party, liberal-party, federal-elections, australia

Opinion poll blues

By Mark Colvin

Posted September 2, 2010 07:24:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 07:32:00

No amount of opinion polling is going to change the reality that the vote in the general election was pretty well 50-50.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, federal-elections, australia

Another scandal, another minister resigns

By NSW political reporter Mark Tobin

Posted September 1, 2010 18:32:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 00:11:00

The New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir will once again have to open up the doors of Government House so a new Labor minister can be sworn in to replace another who has quit because of a scandal.

Tags: government-and-politics, states-and-territories, australia, nsw

Goldilocks can't have perfect porridge forever

By Michael Janda

Posted September 1, 2010 17:43:00 | Updated September 2, 2010 09:55:00

Several economists have now adopted the phrase 'Goldilocks economy' to describe Australia, but our apparently perfect porridge is bound to cool or reheat eventually.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, economic-trends, government-and-politics, australia

Lord's Test scandal: where's cricket's leadership?

By Glenn Mitchell

Posted August 31, 2010 17:34:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 17:38:00

The ICC's response to the drama of the Lord's Test has mirrored the incident itself.

Tags: sport, cricket, pakistan, united-kingdom, england

Gillard's Parliament renovation a surprise-reveal job

By Annabel Crabb

Posted August 31, 2010 16:22:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 17:01:00

After 23 days as a prime minister plus 33 days of the oddest election campaign ever plus 10 days of the madness that has followed it, Julia Gillard still looks as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, parliament, federal-parliament, person, gillard-julia, federal-elections, australia

Reliving the horrors of the Ivan Milat case

By John Thompson

Posted August 31, 2010 15:17:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 15:29:00

"Police are investigating the discovery of human remains found in the Belanglo State Forest".

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, crime, murder-and-manslaughter, australia

Dignified silence a thing of the past

By Jonathan Green

Posted August 31, 2010 11:20:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 11:52:00

Which has more dignity, to maintain a sober public silence in the face of grief/accident/misfortune, or to tell all to A Current Affair?

Tags: arts-and-entertainment, television, community-and-society, family-and-children, human-interest, people, family, emotions, australia

Betting on democracy

By Madonna King

Posted August 31, 2010 07:14:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 07:28:00

Somewhere along the line we have been seduced into thinking that it's all right to bet on the democratic process.

Tags: community-and-society, gambling, government-and-politics, elections, federal-elections, australia, qld

Dirty deeds, no-balls and defeat

By Glenn Mitchell

Posted August 30, 2010 16:21:00 | Updated August 30, 2010 16:57:00

There are principally two agents that can be used to manipulate sporting contests - drugs and money.

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, crime, sport, cricket, pakistan

Doogie Howser MP

By Marieke Hardy

Posted August 30, 2010 11:14:00 | Updated August 30, 2010 11:27:00

Consider this your official cut out 'n' keep guide to the new minister for Longman.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, federal-elections, australia

Two-speed economy brings a two-speed polity

By Alan Kohler

Posted August 30, 2010 09:22:00 | Updated August 31, 2010 10:06:00

Australia's hung Parliament reflects the post-GFC divisions that are now haunting the world.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, economic-trends, government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, international-financial-crisis, federal-elections, australia

Unwritten conventions of government

By Antony Green

Posted August 27, 2010 15:26:00

Let me run through a few questions about what will happen in coming weeks and how the constitutional conventions apply.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia

In the name of a cricket legend

By Gerard Whateley

Posted August 27, 2010 15:26:00 | Updated August 27, 2010 15:34:00

Dearly cricket beloved we are gathered here today in the name of Don Bradman.

Tags: sport, cricket, australia

Change lies ahead on the road to reformation

By Annabel Crabb

Posted August 27, 2010 11:17:00

If this election result - this great national shrug of the shoulders - has created anything, it's an opportunity for change that might actually happen.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia

Well-readhead: Sitting down for reading action

By Leigh Sales

Posted August 27, 2010 07:24:00 | Updated August 27, 2010 10:23:00

With the whole nation absorbed in post-election intrigue, I'm declaring today's reading list a politics-free zone.

Tags: human-interest, information-and-communication, australia

Time for a second-chance vote

By Jonathan Green

Posted August 26, 2010 11:24:00

This moment of administrative interregnum does have a certain promise ... but it might be time we all got another vote.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia

The importance of family values

By Annabel Crabb

Posted August 26, 2010 11:24:00 | Updated August 26, 2010 11:28:00

The terrain becomes more complicated. Here's the situation, as Day Five dawns.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia

Three wise men seek semblance of stability

By Barrie Cassidy

Posted August 26, 2010 07:12:00 | Updated August 26, 2010 07:13:00

It's clear what the three independents want is some semblance of stability over the coming years.

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia

Panic buying pushes prices

By Jeff Waters

Posted August 25, 2010 15:07:00

It was as instant a reaction as it was an understandable one.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, industry, food-and-beverage, rural, agricultural-crops, grain, food-processing, australia, russian-federation, european-union, asia