Money has swamped Qld politics, and that endangers democracy: @Graeme_Orr #qldvotes comment

Money makes the world go round.  That’s a truism in a market economy.   The promise of democracy – one vote, one person, one value – ought to balance that.   But what if money makes the political world go round? Nothing less than the fate of electoral democracy is at stake if we let money swamp […]

Senate Bingo! The @sarah_capper column

A whole new class of players joined the Upper House this month, and with a record number of cross-benchers – 18, including the Greens – there will be deals-a-plenty and the “spin cycle” on overdrive. Cards will be kept close to chests; cards will be put out on the table; and, as the last week has shown, […]

Tinkler at #ICAC: The art of of good and bad cops by @boeufblogginon

  #icac Watson is on the point of corralling Tinkler in the questioning of Tinkler. Very clever. — Joan Evatt (@Boeufblogginon) May 16, 2014 Law students should have been at the ICAC hearing on Friday afternoon when Nathan Tinkler was being questioned. They would have seen a fine example of corralling a witness and one […]

Then they came for the farmers… #SPC #leardblockade

[clear] By Alison Parkes  6th February 2014 Two recent issues have been in the news lately concerning rural and regional communities – the impending closure of SPC and the Leardblockade. People in capital cities, on social media and old media talk about thinks like SPC or live export or another mine as if they are […]

Margo’s live twitter report from #leardblockade Day 12

Storify by The Geek Mon, Jan 27 2014 04:17:31 Margo’s live twitter report from #leardblockade Day 12 Add to story or collection Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Google+ Share on Linkedin Share by email Ishbel Cullen, 20, Canberra – “I’m here to take direct action on climate change – […]

#CSG showdown in Gloucester @1earthmedia reports

By Mark Anning reports from Gloucester, NSW The NSW Government is considering an application by giant gas company AGL to begin the controversial and risky process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, at Forbesdale, just south of Gloucester in the Manning Valley NSW – less than 300 metres from the nearest family home and less than 600 […]

Reflections on a unique campaign: Greens candidate @JennyJenocon on #Indivotes

By Jenny O’Connor, 16 September, 2013 The campaign is over and we are waiting for the result in what has turned out to be the most interesting election in the nation. At the time of writing Cathy leads by 544 votes with 2000 to count. My result as the Greens candidate has been decimated – […]

Transcript of Jasper press conference for #Indivotes

By Tom Anderson 30 August 2013 Ken Jasper interview Cathy McGowan’s response and Al’s questions on robocalling See Tom’s calculations of how McGowan might win Indi. Margo: No Fibs citizen journo Tom Anderson attended yesterday’s press conference in Wangaratta where long-time National Party MP for Murray Valley Ken Jasper explained why he supported Cathy McGowan’s […]

McGowan a close friend of Tim Fischer, but denies she’s Indi’s National Party front

By Wayne Jansson, 16 August, 2013 The Voice4Indi candidate Cathy McGowan has hit back at claims by unnamed Liberal sources that she is a front for the National Party in Indi, saying she has support across the political spectrum. Ms McGowan acknowledged she was a close friend of Mr Tim Fischer, a former National Party […]

The rich political history between Howard, the Nats and Tony Windsor

Tony Windsor’s riposte to John Howard’s allegation that he betrayed his voters by supporting a Labor government relates some of the rich political history of the country seat. There’s more, so today we republish two fascinating pieces by Webdiarist Craig Rowley, part one after the 2004 election and part two prior to 2007 election. At […]