Doing politics differently: @indigocathy maiden speech

Madam Speaker, Colleagues, special guests, friends and family. Madam Speaker, warm congratulations on your election. I thank you and my colleagues for your warm welcome. I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners and custodians of this land, both past and present. Today I am going to share a story – about myself, about my electorate […]

Labor’s downfall: @mattyhoran review of @apatrickafr book

By Matthew Horan @mattyhoran No Fibs political books reviewer 13 November, 2013 It’s hard to read Aaron Patrick’s Downfall – How the Labor Party ripped itself apart and not make comparisons with the ultimately disappointing The Stalking of Julia Gillard. Kerry-Anne Walsh’s book canvassed much the same period and will now be turned into a mini-series starring […]

McGowan to apologise to Indi Aborigines: Transcript of her victory press conference

Margo: So it’s the end of the beginning for the member for Indi Cathy McGowan. Wayne Jansson has kindly transcribed her answers to reporters’ questions at yesterday’s victory press conference. McGowan announced that she would end the hurt created by Ms Mirabella’s boycott of the Stolen Generations apology by making a formal apology on behalf of Indi next Sorry Day. Wayne discovered […]

The sociology of how Cathy won Indi, by @ktbar0

[clear] By Kate Sleeman 12 September, 2013 Life in regional cities and towns is often perceived by our city cousins to be a step back in time; dull, slow, backward and socially conservative. However the election result in Indi has hopefully changed their perceptions and highlighted the power of real communities. They are beginning to […]

Sophie’s desperate choice: Indi booths blanketed with negative ads, heavies on guard

[clear] By Wayne Jansson September 7, 2013 In what can only be seen as a desperate act, Sophie Mirabella’s early Friday night took almost all available space at polling booths for Liberal posters. Reworded: The failed record of SM will only continue. Don't risk another 3 years of misrepresentation #indivotes pic.twitter.com/K6YFjjIPB0 — JACK SEYMOUR (@thejackseymour) […]

Wake up. Roll over. Realise this could be the last morning before Tony Abbott becomes PM

By Sarah Capper 6 September 2013 Savour the moment, but only fleetingly – the incumbent PM is not exactly shaking the sauce bottle. Momentarily think about sex appeal. Come properly awake with a flurry of gag reflexes. Turn on the remnants of ABC Rage, but suddenly have painful flashback to last week and Julie Bishop’s music choices.  Realise […]

Australia’s newest political party – interview with the president: @stephaniedale22 reports

By Stephanie Dale 4 September 2013 Talking to Keith Douglas is a lot like trying to talk to a ping-pong ball in a Lotto machine – he talks fast and ranges wide. I met the Australian Voice Party candidate at what has become the No Fibs office in Forde – the nearby Zarraffa’s Coffee outlet (one […]

Greens increasing pressure on Thomson in Wills reports @takvera

By John Englart 4 September 2013 I was recruited by Margo to cover the election in the safe Labor seat of Wills (Seat Profile) in mid July. After writing 21 articles I suspect I have put in far more time and work than some of the candidates. We are at the point in Wills where […]

Sarah Henderson, Corangamite’s incoming Liberal MP? @PrimMich interview

By Michelle Primmer September 1, 2013 I played a game of phone tag with the Liberal Party’s Sarah Henderson and her office trying to tee up a time to meet. I was keen to get an in person interview, but her schedule had been chock-a-block. Now with the election just a week away, I was […]

Forde hosts Beattie: @StephanieDale22 reports

View Larger Map Forde Seat Profile By Stephanie Dale @stephaniedale22 12 August 2013 For most south-east Queenslanders, the Division of Forde can be summed up in two white words on a green signpost: Beenleigh and Logan, exits off the MI between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. To a zillion daily commuters and travelers heading north and […]