Reporting grassroots greenshoots when faith in establishment politics dies: @margokingston1

Margo: A version of this column appeared in the Byron Shire Echo – @Echonetdaily – on 29 April as a substitute for Mungo McCallum’s weekly column while he recovered from surgery.    Mungo and I last discussed politics just after the federal election on Late Night Live. We both knew what Abbott would do – seek to close down free […]

Reading the #WAvotes tea leaves: @sarah_capper

[clear]   Following an Australian Electoral Commission bungle after the federal Senate count last September, West Australians were forced back to the polls earlier this month, in what was supposed to represent either an endorsement for Tony Abbott’s Government and policies – or it would instead show an improvement in Labor’s poor vote in the state last […]

East West Link a collision course for Victorian state election: @tackvera reports

In the lead-up to the Victorian state election in November 2014, the East West Link tunnel toll road continues to be a divisive and unpopular issue for the Premier Denis Napthine and his Liberal Government. The toll road is projected to cost $8 billion to connect the Eastern Freeway and Alexandra Parade to Citylink as […]

Loggers ‘the ultimate conservationists’: Abbott’s environment vandalism policy

Speech delivered by Tony Abbott to the Forestworks Dinner in Canberra Tuesday, 4 March 2014 Julie, I want to thank you very much indeed for that kind introduction. It’s nice to have a list of things recounted to an appreciative audience – it really is nice. But the most important fact, at least insofar I suspect […]

Cory’s book: Part 2 of a blow-by-blow fact check series by @adropex

[clear] [clear] By Lesley Howard @adropex 19 January 2014 In Chapter 2 “The First Pillar: Faith” Bernardi presents a strong and considered study of the historical contribution Christianity has made to Australia’s national development and how this heritage is represented in the laws and moral codes of Australian society today. Bernardi proposes that faith is fundamental to […]

But Sophie, @jansant IS a constituent and others are reading his posts

  By Wayne Jansson, 10 August, 2013 People who have been reading my posts from the seat of Indi will be aware I have been trying to catch up with Sophie Mirabella for some time now. I first contacted Adam Wyldeck (her media adviser) on July 9. He asked me to email my request and said […]

Judi Moylan’s valedictory speech and her history of Australia’s boat people policy

The Hon Judi Moylan MP June 2013 How does one summarize 20 years in Parliament whilst doing justice to all those who have been so pivotal to that service? I have been deeply touched by the extraordinary generosity at every turn by a host of people too numerous to name individually. No member could have […]

Is the ‘liberal’ in the Liberal Party a case of false advertising?

By Noely Neate March 2nd, 2013 When I was young I would see something I thought was unfair, have a rant about it  (obviously have not changed over the years)  and my dad would mutter under his breathe ‘bloody bleeding heart liberal’.  As a youngster I never really knew what that meant, though I did […]