Redclaw politics in the unicameral state – Analysis: @Qldaah #qldpol

How Queensland’s electoral voting system was reformed within the space of a month. Table of contents Jump to comments section. Redclaw politics. Post-Fitzgerald Inquiry era. The Representation Bill. Eighteen minutes in Hell. Blood, teeth and claws. . Redclaw politics Call it a Coup d’état, a reform, an upheaval or the trashing of the legacy of […]

Head in the clouds – The Qld Weekly #qldpol: @Qldaah

ReachTEL – 52 percent to LNP. Dr Alex Douglas quits Palmer United Party. Head in the clouds: Newman evokes Joh’s crane index of populist Premiers past. The Broncos Mail backs Newman. Dame Quentin Bryce to lead domestic violence taskforce. Stop the rollout: How the Newman Government is killing solar. Tweet of the week – Election […]

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 […]

Trust, it’s not just about ‘them’: Forde wrap by @StephanieDale22

[clear] By Stephanie Dale 5 September 2013 The other day a smart, savvy, engaged woman I know told me she plans to vote informal on September 7 – her decision has as much to do with media coverage as it does with politics. In short: ” Can’t bring myself to vote for Tony Abbott, can’t forgive […]

Beattie Surprise: @stephaniedale22 reports

By Stephanie Dale 3 September 2013 We are in the dying days of the 2013 election campaign, a campaign that has boasted a handful of idiot policy announcements but in five weeks just one true surprise – Peter Beattie. It was a laugh out loud moment for the nation when the former Queensland Premier (1998-2007) appeared […]

Bob n Beattie BBQ: @stephaniedale22 reports

[clear] By Stephanie Dale 1 September 2013 There’s been a curious absence of fight in Peter Beattie during the last couple of weeks on the 2013 campaign trail – but today that changed, with the former Queensland Premier charging out of the corner into the Forde ring, following Labor’s campaign launch in Brisbane. Fiiiiiinally, Beattie had […]

The Greens candidate in Forde, Sally Spain: @stephaniedale22 reports

By Stephanie Dale 30 August 2013 Saturday September 7 is World Endangered Species Day – beautifully timed for an election in which ‘the environment’ (euphemism for the world that is our home) has barely rated a mention. “Where,” I ask Greens candidate for the seat of Forde, Sally Spain, “is the environment in the 2013 election?” […]

Former MSM journo @stephaniedale22 on the barren pollie-journo election dance

By Stephanie Dale 27 August 2013 OMG it’s a media alert! Quick! Jump! A media alert from the ALP! In my inbox! Logan GP Super Clinic, now! I stare at it, wondering for the umpteenth time why the major parties give local media no more than an hour’s notice on these events – even though I […]

Beattie campaign launch: @stephaniedale22 reports

By Stephanie Dale 25 August 2013 Here is what’s impressive about Peter Beattie’s bid for a seat in the House of Representatives of the 44th Australian parliament: the humility of a man once at the top of his tree being willing to till the soil all over again to build a vision for his life anew. […]

Watermelon smiles: @stephaniedale22 reports on Forde candidates’ forum

By Stephanie Dale 22 August 2013 Well, that’s embarrassing. I’m sitting in the canteen-like barn that is the Logan Rec Club, filling time while waiting for the candidates’ forum to start. Early diners queue to order, half a dozen silent TVs flash Keno, the cricket and the news. It’s a very clean and shiny room, the […]